Diplomatic Mission
by Carrie1138
Summary: A story set in the early days of the New Republic between The Courtship of Princess Leia and Heir to the Empire for those of you who follow the EU , where Han and Leia travel to a male chauvinist planet which has applied to join the Republic.
1. Chapter 1

This story was first published on Fanfix almost ten years ago. It actually began its life over ten years before that as a brief outline which I wrote down and then forgot about for a long time. I remembered it when I'd just finished reading one of Kevin J Anderson's Jedi Academy novels, and, not being terribly impressed by it, thought "I could do as well as that!" I hadn't originally intended to fit it into established EU chronology, though. I was annoyed by how quickly the EU writers had Han and Leia married off and having kids, and wanted to write a story where this hadn't happened yet. The way Han and Leia were always separated during their adventures also annoyed me, I wanted to see them together!

Then I read Dave Wolverton's _The Courtship of Princess Leia, _and hated that too. I really disliked Wolverton's characterisation of Leia, and what I saw as his clumsy attempt to deal with sexual politics in the _Star Wars_ universe. Having recently read Timothy Zahn's _Empire_ trilogy, I was also struck by how bad the continuity between the two authors was. Zahn had Leia using the Force and training as a Jedi, while Wolverton implied she'd never even thought about it. And there was only supposed to be a gap of around six months between the two stories.

So I decided to set my story into EU continuity, and use that kernel of a story idea from years before to address what I thought Wolverton had done wrong. This is what eventually came out of all those thoughts, three years later. I had a lot of positive feedback from it when it was first out, and I think it still holds up pretty well. I hope you enjoy it too.

**DIPLOMATIC MISSION**

**Chapter 1**

Han Solo's attention barely shifted from the datapad he was studying when Leia stormed into the room and thumped down in a chair. "What a day I've had!" she raged. "Ask me what kind of a day I've had?" Han didn't look up. "What kind of a day have you had, sweetheart?"

"A filthy day! That's what kind of a day I've had," she retorted. "Between taxes, supplies, a trade blockade in Janis, half the colonists in the galaxy complaining they need more equipment, a waste disposal problem on the Beilin space station - I mean, _waste disposal_? Why did I take this job?"

Han still didn't look up. "Because you love it," he said simply.

"Politics, Han! I love politics. I don't love waste disposal!"

Han had to smile. He looked up. "Some people would say there isn't that much difference. Aah, now I've made you smile. Admit it, with all the waste disposal and complaining colonists in the galaxy, you wouldn't want to do anything else, would you?"

"I guess not." She sighed. "Though sometimes, moisture farming on Tatooine looks very tempting."

"Just think of the sunburn," Han countered dryly.

Leia grimaced. "That's what I love about you, Han. You always look on the bright side."

"Thanks. Now ask me what kind of a day I've had."

Leia drew her feet up on the chair, settling herself as if expecting a long story. "Okay. What kind of a day have you had?"

"Not bad, actually," he smiled, and Leia groaned. "Typical," she commented under her breath.

"Took delivery of the new consular shuttles," Han continued. "Those new long-range jobs you've all been screaming for for weeks."

"I haven't."

"No? Well, it seems like the rest of the government has. But they're here now," he grinned.

"And I suppose you got to go on a nice long joyride?"

"It's called test-flying, Councillor. It is necessary, you know."

"Oh, I'm sure it is, Captain." Leia's tone was heavy with irony, but the amusement in her eyes was plain. "Justify it some more. Hey!" Han had thrown a cushion at her. She threw one back, but he ducked. Leia followed it, intending to retaliate at point-blank range, but Han caught her and pulled her down into an embrace instead. Leia conceded defeat gracefully, kissing him warmly. "You sure you wouldn't like to trade jobs sometime?"

"No thanks, sweetheart," he grinned. "I can do without trade blockades and waste disposal problems. Now the new shuttles have wonderful waste disposal systems, and they can do point four past lightspeed. Not as fast as the Falcon, of course - "

"But probably a lot safer," Leia cut him off.

Han rose to the jibe, ready to defend his beloved Millennium Falcon to the death, but was interrupted by the ping of the comm system. Leia sighed, and rose to answer it. "Tell 'em you've come down with a hideous disease," Han offered, but she just smiled weakly, knowing it would most likely be some trivial but pressing problem needing her urgent input. The image of a committee secretary appeared on the screen, an unfamiliar one. Not one of the committees she was serving on this month, then.

"Councillor Organa Solo, the New Applications Committee requests your assistance and advice in Committee Room 357 immediately."

"Is it urgent?" she asked, her heart sinking at having to return to duty just when she was beginning to wind down.

"I'm afraid so, Councillor," the secretary replied. "The Committee apologizes for calling so late, but - "

"Okay," she cut him off wearily. "I'll be there. Room 357, you said? I'll be five minutes."

"Thank you, Councillor." Leia hit the off switch, and turned back to Han with a shrug. "Sorry. Maybe I should have tried the disease. I'll be as quick as I can." Han gave her an encouraging smile, not holding out much hope.

* * *

When Leia arrived at Committee Room 357 her heart sank even further. Waiting outside were two other government members who had also been called in to assist, suggesting that whatever New Applications was having problems with, it was not trivial. She greeted the others. Chia Fortescu, a young human woman with pale blonde hair arranged in short, loose curls, was a fairly new delegate to the galaxy's assemblage commons, and seemed pleased at having been called in to offer advice. Tellin Savrah smiled indulgently at Chia's enthusiasm. A middle-aged Mon Calamari, she had served in the Imperial Senate with Leia, and like her, retained few of her illusions of the glory of government work. Neither of them knew any better than Leia what they had been called in to advise on, but the committee did not leave them much time to speculate. The door opened, and the secretary who had contacted them invited them in.

There were six people seated around the table, five males and one female, Leia noticed, realizing at the same time that they had called in three females to advise them. Coincidence? She wondered.

The committee chair, Torus Bof, rose from his seat, greeting them. "Please be seated, Councillors and Delegate," he requested. "I apologize again for the lateness of the hour, but we have what seems to be an unprecedented dilemma on our hands. We have received an application for admission to the New Republic from a planet by the name of Baros. Have any of you heard of it?" Leia and the others indicated that they had not. "That does not surprise me," Bof conceded. "Apart from the fact that it is a human colony world, we have found very little information on the place from Imperial records, or Old Republic files, and it seems to have had a very long period of voluntary isolation from the rest of the galaxy. The problem is, its. . . shall we say, social customs?, also deviate substantially from those of the majority of the galaxy." He took a deep breath. "'Baros' translates to Basic as 'men's world'. Its women have no power at all in society."

There was an audible indrawn breath from all three newcomers. Tellin recovered herself first. "How can this be?" she demanded.

"It seems," Torus began slowly, "that the Baran men control all aspects of society. The women have no vote, no economic rights, and are expected to marry young and to live their lives merely in service to their husbands and children."

This time Leia managed to speak first. "But that sounds like barely disguised slavery! Councillor Bof, you know the New Republic will have no dealings with slave-holding races. I can't believe you're even considering this application!"

Another male member of the committee sat forward.

"With respect, Councillor Organa Solo," he began, "slavery is defined as the enforced servitude of one race by another. While I do not dispute that the Baran situation is an unequal and cruel one, I do think 'slavery' is both an overly emotive and inaccurate term to use."

"Councillor Beleron!" Tellin exclaimed, surprised at his immediate dismissal of what she considered a perfectly reasonable point. "We can quibble over semantics all night, but I think it's obvious that the situation on Baros is unjustifiable, and the world is unsuitable for New Republic membership."

Bof held up his hands. "That, you see, is our problem. While I'm sure we all find Baros' social system unacceptable, the world is also extremely rich in mineral deposits and ores, including some which are extremely rare or inaccessible elsewhere but would be very valuable on the galactic market, and useful to the New Republic's reconstruction efforts."

"I should have known it'd come down to money," Leia murmured. "So what are you proposing, Councillor Bof?" she asked aloud.

"Well, that is our dilemma," he repeated. "The Barans obviously want help in trading their minerals on the open market. You have to admit we need the metals ourselves, and nowhere else are they so accessible in such large quantities."

Chia Fortescu leaned forward, enthusiasm shining on her young face. "Councillors, Delegates, it's an opportunity, don't you see? If Baros is so desperate for trade, we could offer them membership on the condition that they free the women."

Leia sighed, remembering that she too had once been that idealistic. "But if they won't accept that? As Councillor Bof said, they have undergone a long period of isolation already. Perhaps they prefer isolation to changing their customs."

Bof nodded. "Perhaps they do. And perhaps there is a chance they could be persuaded. We would certainly need to send an ambassador for in-depth discussions before any final decision could be made. Shall we take a preliminary vote? Are we all agreed that the application should not be summarily dismissed?"

He looked around the table. Leia was shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Councillor, but I don't believe the Barans are going to be willing to change, simply for the chance of greater trade." She paused a moment, then seemed to suddenly come to a decision. "But if you send an ambassador, you must send a woman."

Bof seemed taken aback. "May I ask why, Councillor Organa Solo?"

"Because if you send a man, it's just too easy for the Barans to feel as if we're accepting the way they run their society. Also, a woman will understand much better what the situation is from the women's point of view. Ask Chewbacca about Wookiee slavery, don't ask a human. Why did you ask three females to advise this committee, after all?"

Bof nodded slowly, appeared to consider. He glanced at the chronometer, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Councillors, Delegates, but it's getting very late and this is a whole new issue. We will reconvene at 1100 hours tomorrow. Delegate Fortescu, Councillor Organa Solo, Councillor Savrah, will you be able to attend?" They indicated that they would, and he nodded. "So we will meet again then. Thank you for your assistance. Meeting adjourned."

The regular committee members left the room immediately, glad to be finally freed from such a long sitting. The three advisors moved less quickly, still somewhat bemused by the whole situation. Tellin caught Leia's eye as she left, shaking her head slowly. "So it begins," she said quietly. "We must be very careful, those of us who were in the Senate, to remember."

"Yes, we must," Leia agreed. She watched the door close behind Tellin, thinking deeply.

"Councillor Organa Solo?"

Leia looked round, to see Chia. "Call me Leia," she asked. "What is it?"

"What did Councillor Savrah mean?"

Leia smiled. "Tellin and I were in the Imperial Senate," she told the other woman. "Tellin a lot longer than me, of course, but we both saw how quickly it degenerated. The New Republic has to take care not to go the same way, that's all."

Chia frowned. "But what does that have to do with Baros? Nobody suggested we just admit the planet the way it is."

"No," Leia agreed. "But the reason we're even discussing admitting Baros matters. If Baros wasn't rich, didn't have things the Republic wants. . . ." She left the implication hanging, and Chia nodded slowly, realization dawning.

"But if it means we can encourage Baros to change. . . isn't that a good thing?"

"Oh, of course. I just doubt whether Baros will, that's all."

"But shouldn't we still try?"

Leia suddenly smiled. Idealism wasn't a bad thing, after all. "I guess we should," she agreed.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Luke Skywalker settled himself on the floor, legs crossed, hands loose in his lap, relaxed. He breathed deeply and became passive, opened himself to the Force. There was so much noise here on Coruscant, so many people, so many thoughts and feelings dashing at lightspeed through their minds. . . it was hard to find a still space. He sighed. _It's good discipline_, he told himself, and began working to cut himself off, create the still space here, inside himself. He concentrated.

Things were quieting down at a satisfying rate when Leia entered his consciousness, bringing enough noise of her own that just wouldn't shut up to make his effort worthless. He had never been able to shut his sister out, and probably, he thought resignedly, never would be able to. Even when he'd been locked in battle with the Emperor and Darth Vader, she'd intruded. He didn't resent it. He just wished she could learn to be a little quieter sometimes.

He smiled. Might as well ask for an ocean on Tatooine. Going to the door, he keyed it open, just as she was about to press the buzzer. He laughed as she jumped in fright.

"I wish you wouldn't do that to me!" she exclaimed. "It's spooky!"

"Sorry," he apologized, unable to hide his amusement. "I always hear you coming. What's biting you this time?"

Leia flopped onto the couch, and began pummelling a cushion. "Blasted New Applications," she growled. "Picked a real beauty this time. It's called Men's World. And it's rich. You can probably guess the rest."

Luke smiled. "And the one-time almost Queen Mother of Hapes doesn't like the idea, huh?"

She shot him a warning look. "Don't, Luke. This is serious. Hapes - well, it's changing already. . . and I don't want to discuss it any further. But this Baros, it's just one small planet, nowhere near the same league as Hapes. . . but its mineral wealth is impressive. . . . They want it for the Republic, but we can't take it on as it is. They want to send an ambassador, but if they do, it has to be a woman."

He frowned. "That's not very diplomatic, Leia."

She frowned back at him. "But don't you see, that's the whole point. They have to understand that we do things differently. If we send a male ambassador, no matter how many times they're told women aren't just housekeepers and mothers, unless they see it with their own eyes, they're not going to believe it."

Luke delved a little deeper into his sister's mind. There was something she wasn't telling him. Beneath the embarrassment at what had happened with Isolder, and her usual determination to help the oppressed, there was something more. She was taking this one more personally, but why? In the few months since her and Han's marriage, she'd changed, but he didn't think it was just because of the marriage itself. The events they'd all experienced on Dathomir had affected her greatly, he knew. But he sensed a new strength in her, an even greater desire to do what was right. He saw her revulsion at the situation on Baros, saw that she too had seen its correlation with Hapes, and Dathomir. . . and that was tied up with how nearly she'd accepted the power imbalances there. . . and been in the situation that men were in on Baros. . . and understood the appeal of such power, from the inside.

"You want to go to Baros," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.

Leia stared at him. "No, no I just. . . ." Her protests trailed off as she realized he was right. "I didn't. . . I didn't think I did. . ." she stammered. "How did you know?" Luke shrugged, and she shook her head. "No - no, stupid question, I'm sorry." She paused, thinking. "You're right, though, Luke. I do want to go. I don't trust anyone else to do what needs to be done."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, still not fully understanding her own feelings, but knowing he was right. "I _need_ to take this mission," she told him, her voice deadly serious.

Luke rested his hands on her shoulders, looked deep into her eyes. "If it's meant for you, Leia, you'll get it. And I think you will."

* * *

Leia stepped into the elevator, on her way to the hangars. Han hadn't been at home, and a quick computer search had turned him up at somewhere in the hangar area, tinkering with the Falcon, no doubt. She smiled to herself. Sometimes, almost seriously, she wondered if Han had given up his general's commission so he could be with her, or simply so he could spend more time with his ship.

Emerging from the lift, she pulled her jacket closer around her. The hangar areas were always cold, so she walked briskly, knowing her way to the Falcon's berth by heart now. There was no-one outside the ship, but the hatch was open, and light showed from inside, as well as banging and crashing sounds, typical of what passed for maintenance on this particular starship. She walked up the ramp and into the hold, finding it empty. "Han?" she called. "Chewie?"

Chewbacca popped his head out from an overhead hatch, and barked a greeting. "Hi, Chewie," she replied. "Is Han around?"

Chewie barked at length, deliberately speaking as slowly and carefully as possible so Leia could understand him. Even so, she frowned in concentration as she attempted to decipher the Wookiee's speech.

"He. . . was here - is that what you said? But he went off to help with the. . . sorry, I don't know the words." She craned her neck up at the upside-down Wookiee, and he added another sequence of growl-roars, attempting to explain. "The new ships?" Leia asked. "Oh, you mean the new shuttles?" Chewbacca barked an affirmative. "Problems, huh?" she smiled. "Where are they?"

He directed her at length, a speech of which she caught enough, if not all. Chewie's gestures, being upside-down, didn't help much either, but she guessed she could always ask someone along the way. "Thanks, Chewie," she told him finally. "I'll see you later, okay?" The Wookiee's growled farewell echoed down the ramp after her.

In the end, she didn't have much trouble finding her way. The first part of Chewie's directions took her to an area that was fairly open, and from there, she could see the shuttles at the far end of the huge hanger space. Several minutes' walk later, she could make out Han's familiar figure, standing in the middle of a group of four young techs, and, apparently, throwing a tantrum. As she got closer, she began to hear his words.

"But you don't _need_ it!" Han was yelling. "All you need to do is connect this one here. . . see? And that takes care of all of the. . . oh. Leia."

"Hi, Han," she smiled. "I thought Chewie said you were helping, but maybe I got it wrong. Can I speak to you a moment?"

Han turned to the techs, with exaggerated patience. "Why don't you just try it, see how it works? I'll be back in a while." He walked over to Leia. "Blasted kids," he grumbled. "They don't have the first clue. Everything's gotta be by the book." He shook his head. "Sorry, sweetheart. What did you want to talk about?"

She stopped, took his hands. "Han. . . I'm going to Baros."

His jaw dropped. "What? The men's world place? But I thought. .. . I thought you were just gonna try to get them to send a woman, not that it had to be you!"

Leia gave him a tense smile. "I know. It wasn't till I talked to Luke this morning that I realized I wanted to go, but - "

"Luke?" he cut her off. "Oh great - is this more of that Jedi stuff? Can't he find enough trouble to get himself into without trying to find some for you too?"

Leia tugged on his hands, got his attention. "It's not like that, Han. He's right. I do want to go. I need to go. I can't explain right now, but - "

Han pulled away from her. "Here we go again," he said pessimistically. "I know, when you or Luke start talking like that, there's gonna be trouble. Big trouble. Well, don't think you're going without me."

"Han - "

"Forget it, sweetheart. You've told me about this place, remember, and I'm not gonna let you walk in there alone."

"But _Han_ - "

"They call it Men's World. They're not gonna welcome you with open arms. You don't know what you're getting yourself into!"

"HAN!" She was practically stamping her feet in exasperation.

"You've gotta admit I'm right, sweetheart."

"Han," she said, very slowly, very firmly, "listen to me. I was about to ask you to come with me. But if you can't be more diplomatic than that, I might have to reconsider."

"Oh." He looked sheepish, and rightly so, Leia thought. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh," he repeated. "Well. . . okay. That's a good plan. Let's go with that, huh?"

Leia couldn't help but laugh. "Okay," she agreed. "Let's go with that. We've got a lot of stuff to organize, though, so as soon as you're done browbeating your techs, I'll need you in my office, okay?"

"All right, I'll see you soon."

She began to leave, then turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said sweetly. "We're gonna need a translator, if half of what I've heard about Baros is true, so Threepio will be coming with us too."

Han said nothing, but as he turned away, could be heard to mumble something that sounded like, "Is this my punishment?"

Leia began the walk to the nearest elevator, laughing.

* * *

When Han reached the office later that afternoon, he found Leia literally swamped with work, seated at a desk covered with all manner of data storage and retrieval systems: data cards, wafers, chips, a couple of datapads, flimsies, and even several old-fashioned booktapes, the contents of one of which she was scowling at on her monitor screen. Threepio was seated in front of another screen, and, although he seemed to be assimilating the information more quickly, he was still surrounded by a similar array of materials.

"What's going on?" he wondered aloud. "I thought Research was supposed to pull this stuff together for you, not just dump all the raw sources in your lap?"

Leia looked up, gave him a weary smile. "Normally, they would," she agreed, "but they're all tied up with the big push on the Grand Admirals, couldn't even spare us a droid to help. And Artoo's busy helping Luke go through the stuff from the Chu'unthor, so it's just us, I'm afraid."

"That's right, Captain Solo," Threepio agreed. "And I must say that, even to a droid, this amount of research material to be organized at such short notice is quite a daunting task."

Leia rubbed her eyes, squinted at the screen. "Exhausting is the word I would use," she said. "That, and tedious. I've never had to wade through so many geological statistics in my life. This report dates back nearly to the beginning of the colony, five hundred years ago," she added, as Han came to look over her shoulder at the screen, "but I've got to go through it, just in case there's something useful here."

Han rested his hands on her shoulders, began to massage them gently. "Take a break," he advised her. "You won't do any good trying to work till you drop, and you need to fill me in on what this mission's all about." Leia stood up and stretched, feeling cramped all over. "I guess you're right," she sighed. She crossed the room to the couch and settled into it comfortably. She didn't spare much time to rest, though.

"The first thing you need to know," she began, before Han had even sat down, "is that we're leaving the day after tomorrow, early morning. It'll take a day and a half to get there, so we can't afford to leave any later. Which is why all this is such a rush job. The confirmation's already been sent to Baros - which reminds me, for the time we're there, I'm to be just Leia Organa." Han regarded her quizzically, not quite understanding. "The Barans' attitude to married women," she explained. "They're seen as mothers and housekeepers, nothing more. If they know I'm your wife, they'll have more of an excuse than they need not to take me seriously." She eyed him searchingly. "You do understand, don't you? If they're as set in their ways as I think they are, it'll be hard enough to deal with them as a woman, let alone as a married woman."

Han shrugged. "You're the ambassador, sweetheart. However you want to play it is fine by me."

Leia gave an inward sigh of relief. She knew Han had a jealous streak, and though she was also aware that he was fighting to control it, she couldn't afford it flaring up on Baros. The last thing she needed, while she was trying to come across as an example of independent womanhood, was Han breaking out in heavy-handed possessiveness. She was pretty sure she could trust him not to. . . she just hoped pretty sure was sure enough.

Still, she didn't want him to get defensive about it, so she said no more. Instead, she returned to the practical arrangements for the trip. "We'll need one of those new shuttles," she told him. "I know the Falcon's still not right after Dathomir, and besides, I think a lot of this trip is going to be about image. We have to make a good impression, so pack your best clothes," she eyed him critically, "get a haircut," she glanced around, "and, Threepio, you get an oil bath and a polish."

"Yes, Mistress Leia," Threepio replied promptly. "Although, I must remind you that it is part of my programming to ensure that I look my best when in any situation where I will be drawing attention to myself - this includes, of course, diplomatic translation duties, and - "

"Okay, Threepio," Leia cut him off. "I should have realized that. I'm sorry."

Han smirked. "It's part of my programming too, you know."

Leia eyed him cynically. "I hadn't noticed." Then she pulled herself together. "Don't sidetrack me, Han! There isn't time. Is there a shuttle ready?"

Han made a noncommital gesture. "Sure, they're ready," he said, in a tone that suggested he was anything but happy about them. "They're nothing special, but they fly. I'm still not happy about the weapons systems, mind you, but - "

Leia waved her hand at him. "Spare me the technicalities. I know you don't feel safe in anything that isn't armed to the teeth, but all I need to know is that it'll get us there in one piece. Now, you're in charge of security, so I need you to talk to NRI, get whatever we need. Minimum weaponry, maximum counterintelligence. Okay?" Han nodded. Leia could practically see him gauging her idea of minimal weaponry against his, figuring out how he could work it to his standard without her realizing. But, again, she said nothing. Sometimes it paid to be overcautious, after all.

"Right," she said finally, crossing to her desk and picking up a datapad, keying a check on certain items as she spoke. "So, you can get on to NRI; requisition us a shuttle - the best one, of course - " she glanced at him, catching his half-grin and smiling in return. "There's a valet droid organizing my wardrobe,so you give him a few pointers and he can do yours too. . . and that's about it." She looked up. "Is that okay?"

"Sure." Han stood up. "So, am I likely to see you at home later, or will you be asleep over the computer?"

Leia smiled, wearily. "No, I'll be home," she said. "There's still tomorrow, after all."

Han hugged her. "Well, don't try and do too much," he counselled her, knowing she probably would anyway. "I'm sure Luke could spare you Artoo for a couple of hours if you needed him."

"His work is important too," Leia sighed. "Probably more important than this. But maybe tomorrow," she conceded. "Now, you'd better go, or I'll never get any work done." She pushed him away gently, and he kissed her forehead. "Take it easy, sweetheart," he told her.

"I wish I could," Leia commented quietly after he'd left, before turning reluctantly back to the computer.

* * *

Leia had just gotten out of what she considered a well-deserved long hot bath when Luke arrived the next evening. So he was waiting in the living room for her when a call came through on the comm. He answered, to be greeted with the face of a young woman he didn't recognize.

The woman looked surprised too. "Commander Skywalker? I'm. . . pleased to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

Luke smiled, somewhat bewilderedly. "Thank you. Were you looking for Leia?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Could I speak to her? I'm Chia Fortescu."

"I'll see if she's available." He hit the privacy button and called through to Leia in the bedroom. "Do you want to talk to a Chia Fortescu?"

"Uh. . . yeah, okay," she replied. "Put her through."

A few minutes later Leia came into the lounge, and he couldn't contain his curiosity. "Who was that?" he asked, and she raised her eyebrows at him. "Chia? She's a Delegate. Was in the Baros application thing with me. Would you believe she wanted to find out if it was at all possible for her to come on the mission tomorrow?"

Luke grinned. "Just like that?" he asked, and Leia smiled. "She's very keen," she told him, in a tone that suggested she was more amused than annoyed at Chia's presumption. "Enthusiastic. Kind of reminds me of myself when I first joined the Senate. I just hope she doesn't get disillusioned as quickly as I did."

"That's what we set up the New Republic for, isn't it?" Luke reminded her, and she smiled and nodded, conceding the point. "You're right. Actually, if it had been a less difficult mission, I might have considered trying to get her clearance to come along. But we're going to have to tread very carefully, and I'm not convinced she could bite her tongue enough." She smiled again, with a self-deprecating shrug. "I'm not even sure that I can."

She sat down, leaned back in her chair and gratefully took the glass of wine Luke handed her. "So you're all ready?" he asked.

"Well. . . if you can call it that." She sighed deeply. "Han's still fussing over the ship, even though it's already gone to the spaceport. Threepio's finishing off the research stuff; we're going to have to read through it on the journey. But we'll be ready when we get there." She caught his sceptical look, and smiled. "Well, I hope we will. The problem isn't really the amount of information, but the amount of it that's useless. The last Imperial survey was twenty years ago, so who knows how much, or if at all, Baros will have changed in that time? We'll just have to be very, very careful."

"Good luck," Luke grinned.

"I know - we're gonna need it," she smiled.

"No, I'm sure you'll do great," he reassured her. "You know you're a good diplomat. Don't worry about it."

Leia sighed ruefully. "I'm beginning to wish I'd never volunteered for this mission. But let's not talk about it any more. How are you going with the Chu'unthor? Found anything useful?"

Luke nodded. "Artoo's been pulling out some really interesting stuff," he told her. "The history of the Jedi, their training techniques; I've been trying some of them myself and they're really helpful. You should try them."

She looked away. "Oh, I don't know. You know how busy I am."

"Leia," he said reproachfully. "You know that's not the real reason."

She grimaced, sighed. "I don't feel ready, Luke." He just looked at her, holding her gaze with those incredibly clear eyes of his, and she found it impossible, as always, to tell him anything but the truth. "I'm too afraid," she finally admitted, shaking her head. "I. . . don't trust myself. What if I go wrong? What if I fall to the Dark Side? I don't want to end up like. . ." _Like Vader._ She didn't need to say it, he knew what she meant. He took her hand, said nothing for a moment. He'd sometimes wondered how he himself would have felt about becoming a Jedi if he'd known from the beginning that Darth Vader was his father. He supposed that was another reason why Yoda and Ben had kept that fact from him. And he couldn't say that he, in the same position, wouldn't have felt exactly as Leia felt now.

He sighed. "I wish I could say that wasn't anything to worry about," he told her gently. "But I can't. The Dark Side has always been a problem for the Jedi, and always will." He squeezed her hand. "I won't push you, Leia. Maybe one day you'll feel ready. Maybe the Force will come to you. If it does, don't fight it. Let it work through you. Promise me that?"

She looked at him, her eyes still fearful, and felt his touch on her mind, reassuring her, calming her with his calm. She closed her eyes. "I promise," she said softly.

* * *

Leia woke the next morning to the grating beep of the chrono alarm, feeling like she hadn't slept at all. Her eyelids felt like they were lined with synthrock. She called "off", hoarsely, to the alarm, and attempted to rouse herself, knowing the alarm would go off again if its sensors detected her slipping back to sleep. She rolled over, reaching for her husband. "Han?" she croaked. "It's time to wake up."

Han's smuggling instincts, honed through years of practice, kicked in and he was instantly wide awake and sitting up. Leia rubbed her face. "I feel like I hardly closed my eyes," she complained.

"Oh, you slept, sweetheart," Han reassured her.

"How do you know?" she demanded. He grinned. "Because when you don't sleep, you make sure to toss and turn just enough to make sure I wake up too. And then," he added, "you usually start snoring like a Wookiee."

Leia sighed. "I don't snore, but you're lucky I don't have the energy to argue with you. Now be a nice man and go make some pepper tea."

Han grinned again. "Right away, Your Highnessness," he said, and flipped her a mock salute.

As he left the room, Leia scowled at the alarm. "Full off," she told it, plumping her pillow and snuggling back under the cover to doze till Han returned with the tea.

The hot drink helped her feel a little more awake, but her eyes still felt rough as she dressed. By the time their transport reached the spaceport, however, the early dawn air had helped energize her, and she found she was almost looking forward to the flight. It was a while since she and Han had taken a trip of any length together, and despite the stress she expected when they got to Baros, the day-and-a-half flight would be a welcome chance to relax.

As she stepped off the speeder, she was surprised to see Mon Mothma waiting for them. She hadn't realized the mission was particularly high-profile, certainly not enough to warrant a send-off from the Council leader herself. Han had noticed her too. He caught Leia's eye. "Trouble?" he murmured. Leia shrugged."Don't know. You get the stuff loaded and I'll see what she wants."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and, shrugging off the slight nervousness she still always felt at speaking to the older woman in person, approached her, smiling. "Mon Mothma. This is a surprise. I didn't realize you would be coming to see us off."

The Council leader smiled back at her. "Don't worry, Leia. I'm here only in a personal capacity. I heard what you're attempting to take on, and I wanted to wish you luck. And - a word of warning. I know you're going to Baros in the hope of achieving some improvements for the women there, and that's an admirable goal, but go slowly, and be careful what you ask for. Remember, it's quite likely that there are some underground movements of the Baran women already. It's probable that they will come to you, when they can. Be guided by them, Leia - don't impose your own ideas of what are the most important changes."

Leia nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Mon Mothma. I'll try to tread carefully." Mon Mothma smiled. "I have every faith in you, Leia. So now it only remains for me to say may the Force be with you - as I know it will." She took Leia's hands, kissed both her cheeks, and then returned to the speeder she had waiting.

Leia went to rejoin Han, where he was ostensibly loading their luggage onto the ship, but had been covertly watching her conversation with Mon Mothma. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Leia smiled. "She just wanted to wish us luck, give me a bit of advice - no trouble."

Han looked thoughtfully after Mon Mothma's retreating speeder. "She takes a lot of interest in your work, doesn't she?"

Leia frowned, puzzled. "No more than anyone else's, I don't think. Why?" Han shook his head. "Nothing. Just an observation." But he knew, just as everyone seemed to know - except for Leia herself of course - that Leia was not likely to remain a mere councillor forever. And he greeted that knowledge with mixed feelings, for while he would be proud to see Leia's career progress, at the same time he knew the demands on her time would become even greater, and that was not a prospect he relished. Still, at least for this mission they would be together, and he consoled himself with that thought.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Leia took a deep breath, and slowly advanced down the ramp, followed closely by Han and Threepio. Approaching was a man, wearing a uniform of a shade of grey so nondescript it appeared almost colourless. His hair was also grey, slicked into stiff waves, and his skin so pale it was almost the same colour as his uniform. Leia stopped to allow him to come to meet them. He extended his hand and she shook it, but it was clammy and warm, making her want to wipe her hand on her robes afterwards.

"Greetings," he said, and continued in halting Basic, "I am Per Hezzel, Chief Controller of Baros. We are pleased to... greet you."

"Thank you, Chief Controller," Leia replied. "I am Ambassador and New Republic Councillor Leia Organa. This is Captain Han Solo, and this is C-3PO, a protocol droid, who will translate for us if you wish to continue in Baran."

Hezzel looked rather bemused, so Leia gestured to Threepio, who repeated her remarks in Baran for him. He smiled, looking relieved, and spoke rapidly to Threepio, in a lilting, musical language that sat oddly with his stiff appearance. Threepio turned to Leia. "He will be pleased to be able to speak in his own language, Mistress Leia, and he bids us all welcome on behalf of the Controllers and. . . people of Baros." From Threepio's pause, Leia inferred that Hezzel had spoken of "men" rather than "people", but she said nothing. "He also hopes that our stay here will be pleasant, and that we will be able to recommend that Baros' application to the New Republic be treated favourably."

"Tell him I hope so too, Threepio," Leia replied, with a wry smile, and after her words were relayed, added, "While I am embarrassed to make such a mundane request at such a time, Chief Controller, we need to know, before we proceed, how many hours there are in Baran days, since this information was unavailable to us on Coruscant." Hearing the request, Hezzel smiled, it seemed proudly, and gave a long speech, at the end of which he looked at Han and laughed, as if sharing a private joke. Leia and Han both looked at Threepio, who translated rather reluctantly, "He says that Baros has not used Standard time for many years, and he will be glad to explain the details of the system to Captain Solo, so that Ambassador Organa... um... will not have to worry her... little head about it." The droid even managed to look apologetic, and Leia found herself suddenly fighting down a smile at the absurdity of the situation.

Han had not seen the funny side, though, as when she looked at him his eyes were hard and angry. "Threepio," he began, and she knew his tone meant no good, "you tell him he tells Leia or no-one."

Threepio began to speak to Hezzel again, and Leia hoped he was using more diplomatic language than Han had. Hezzel's face took on an irritated expression as he heard what the droid had to say, then he turned to Han with almost a pitying look on his face, and was met with one of the coldest glances he had ever received. Leia kept her face carefully impassive.

Hezzel began speaking again, and Threepio relayed the information. "There are twenty hours to a day on Baros, each roughly equivalent to 1.563 Standard hours. The years are divided into twenty months of twenty days each, with an extra two days in the last month. We are at present in the second day of the fourth month, and the time is 9:53 hours. There are one hundred minutes per hour," he added, after a brief exchange with Hezzel.

"Thank you," Leia replied. "Now, Chief Controller, what is our programme for the rest of the day?"

"We will be taken first of all to our accommodation," Threepio translated. "The Chief Controller has called men to take our luggage, and he will escort us to our speeder. There will be a state reception this evening, and then tomorrow we will tour Baran sites of interest, including the World Control Building. The Chief Controller regrets that Ambassador Organa will be unable to enter the Controllers' Chamber, but this is forbidden to offworlders."

"Thank you, Chief Controller. Shall we go, then?"

Hezzel spoke into a comlink, and two young men emerged from the elevator, evidently the porters he had mentioned. Leia touched Han's arm. "Will you go with them and show them what we need? And take it easy."

He took a deep breath. "I'll try."

When Han returned, Hezzel escorted them to the elevator and rode down with them. He walked them to their speeder, while the luggage went off in another. He paused then, and offered his good wishes, as well as hopes for a favourable conclusion to the visit, told them that they would be picked up and escorted to the state dinner at 17:00 hours, and any comforts they required would be provided if requested. He then offered Leia his hand again, which she took reluctantly, though of course didn't show it, and finally he executed a very flamboyant bow which given his appearance was a masterpiece of incongruity. All things considered, all three members of the ambassadorial party were glad to drive away from him.

They did not speak at all during the journey, instead concentrating on the admittedly pleasant Baran scenery, but Leia, sitting next to Han, could feel the tension in his body. She took his hand, and when he looked at her, smiled, but could see that he was still brooding on Hezzel.

This was proved as soon as they were alone in their allocated apartment. Immediately Han had done the counterintelligence sweep and come up clean, he began pacing. "No prizes for guessing just who the Controllers' Chamber's really forbidden to. I swear, if he insults you one more time, I'm gonna take his slimy little face and push it so far down his throat he'll see what he had for breakfast! How dare he? Little creep. We should break this visit off right now, tell them to stick their application. We don't want their kind in the New Republic."

He stopped for breath, and Leia broke in. "Han, calm down. Flying off the handle won't help. I agree he's a slimy creep but it's just petty prejudice. What worries me more is the assumptions underlying it all." Stopped in his tracks, Han moved to sit down with her.

"What do you mean?"

"It's all this emphasis on control. You heard him - Chief Controller, World Control Building, Controllers' Chamber. It's dictatorial, just like the Empire. In fact I'm surprised this world managed to escape Imperial control." She laid a particularly ironic emphasis on the last word, then paused, thinking. "Threepio, can you get hold of some sort of history documents, see if you can find anything on the Empire, what happened after the surveys. I didn't see anything in the briefing tapes about it." She sat back, pondering the question. Han began to pace again.

Leia began talking meditatively, as if to herself. "I don't want to just dismiss Baros out of hand, I want to do a deal, simply so I can arrange some better things for the women. But this dictatorial stance. . . I wonder if the Controllers are even elected. . . . Threepio - "

"Yes, Mistress Leia, I'll find out how the Controllers get their posts."

Han was now standing staring out the window. Suddenly, he turned. "Leia, if you want to help the women, I could have a thousand crack New Republic troops here in no time. No, listen - we could declare control, change the rules, put the women in power."

Leia was shaking her head. "Han, listen to yourself - declare control, take power? That's not what we want to do. That's what the Empire would do, or the Baran men themselves."

"To be quite honest, Leia, I don't see how else you're going to do it."

She met his eyes. "That's what worries me."

* * *

Han wriggled uncomfortably in his dress uniform, and Leia frowned at him. "I'm sorry," he said wearily. "You know I hate this thing." Leia smiled, and straightened his lapels, causing him to shrug again. "It's a formal occasion, Han, just remember that. And try to be more diplomatic. Just because they don't understand your words doesn't mean they can't read your face. You nearly blew it with Hezzel this morning."

"I know, I know," he sighed. "I'll try. I'll be diplomatic." Leia grinned. "I don't think you know how." She leaned up to kiss him, then straightened her own dress and they were ready to leave for the reception.

On arrival, they were directed into a packed banqueting hall, while a bland, mechanical voice announced in Baran, "Ambassador Leia Organa and Captain Han Solo." It seemed every face in the room turned to inspect the female ambassador with huge interest. Han squirmed with embarrassment, while trying to "think diplomatic", but Leia scanned the crowd, noticing immediately that every man there seemed to be accompanied by a woman. The men for the most part wore similar uniforms to Hezzel's, with silver braid and epaulettes for the occasion. The women were all dressed differently, their clothes far more ornate and colourful than the men's, but all covered their bodies from neck to wrists to floor. Every last one of them seemed to have long, elaborately-styled hair, and all wore heavy makeup. Leia suddenly felt a little awkward in her low-necked dress with elbow-length sleeves, and her comparatively simple hairstyle and makeup. She shrugged the feeling off, however. She was bound to be the centre of attention anyway, and until she'd arrived here, she'd actually felt somewhat conservatively dressed.

She had no time for further thought or observation, however, as she spotted Hezzel approaching. The woman accompanying him was around his own age, thin, shorter than Leia, and had bright blonde hair piled on top of her head and trailing down her back. Hezzel offered the inevitable handshake and greeted them, introducing the woman as his wife, Pera Hezzel. Leia also shook the woman's hand, although from Pera's reaction it seemed that she had never been invited to do such a thing before. "How interesting," Leia commented, "that your names should be so similar."

Hezzel laughed out loud, and nudged his wife, apparently encouraging her to reply. Pera gave a little nervous cough, looking as if she hardly dared meet Leia's eyes as she told her, "It is not my original name. When we marry, on Baros, it is the custom for the woman to take a version of the man's name." Leia had a difficult job not to appear as shocked as she really was by this. "I see," she managed. "I apologize for my mistake." Hezzel guffawed again, and, according to Threepio, said, "It does not matter. Anyone can make a mistake." Leia found she was already reading between the lines of Threepio's translations, and expecting trouble when they began negotiations.

Fortunately, Hezzel then offered to show them to their seats, as the meal was about to start, an offer Leia accepted with relief.

"That's some quaint custom," Han commented when Hezzel had left them alone again. "I can't help wondering what happens to same-sex couples."

"Well, don't ask," Leia cautioned him with a smile. "I'd guess that, in a society as repressed as this, that would be one of their biggest taboos. There was no mention of anything about same-sex relationships on any of those tapes I looked at. Though they weren't exactly exhaustive," she added ruefully.

Han shook his head. "You know, Baros is so hot to get out into the galaxy, but from what I've seen so far, I don't really think they'll like it much."

Leia looked sardonic. "The thing is, it won't be the whole of Baros that is opened to the rest of the galaxy. Just certain people - certain men - will be dealing with the outside. And it's my guess they'll be the sort who'll treat it all as exotica - the kind of people who condemn things in public while being titillated by it in private."

Han nodded resignedly. "I've known plenty of them," he said dryly. "But I'll tell you, I don't envy you, having to deal with a whole planet that thinks like that."

Leia sighed. "Maybe all of them don't," she said hopefully. "But I wouldn't bet on it." A wry smile played around her lips for a second, then abruptly vanished, as she drew herself up straight and glanced around the room. Han leaned toward her, concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked. She backed away from him slightly. "We have to be careful," she told him in an undertone. "Just because Hezzel doesn't speak Basic doesn't mean no-one else does. Watch what you say. And watch what you do. We are not married. We just work together."

Han couldn't resist smiling. "In public," he commented quietly.

Leia shot him a warning look. "Okay, so I'm a hypocrite too," she conceded. "But if I wasn't, we'd have no chance of getting anything done here." She glanced around again. "Now that's enough. I don't want to take any more chances than we have to."

She broke off, as Hezzel and his wife had taken their seats, Pera sitting next to Leia with her husband on her other side, and the servers were beginning to come round with the food. And here she got her second surprise of the evening, for the servers were not droids, as she had expected, but women. She watched them, wide-eyed, and managed to meet the eyes of the woman who served her. The woman met her stare with confidence. Leia somehow felt she was being judged, and then the woman smiled, only a small smile, but enough to let Leia feel she had passed whatever the test was. She turned her attention to the food, but discovered Hezzel was speaking to her again. Threepio stepped forward and translated, "The Chief Controller notices your interest in the serving staff. It is a Baran custom for women rather than droids to serve food. He hopes you find it a pleasant change."

Leia forced a smile for this man she was growing to like less every time he spoke. "It is certainly a change," she agreed. "How do the women come to be working here?"

"They are young unmarried women," Hezzel replied. "Many women take some form of occupation between finishing their education and getting married. The pay helps compensate their fathers for bringing them up. But of course, before long, they will find husbands, and no longer work."

"I see. Thank you," Leia replied, not trusting herself to say anything more.

The rest of the dinner passed without incident. The food and wine were excellent, as good as anything Leia and Han had had elsewhere, but neither were able to fully enjoy it, Han because he was preoccupied with maintaining his "diplomatic face", Leia because she was thinking furiously of her after-dinner speech, wondering what she could say and how she could phrase it without sabotaging her mission entirely. Hezzel ate and drank copiously, as did most of the men, although it was noticeable to both Leia and Han that the women were far more restrained. The server who had connected with Leia earlier returned to her only once, and this time gave her a broad smile, which Leia returned, taking strength from it in a way she barely understood, but appreciated.

At last the moment she had been dreading drew close, as Hezzel rose from his seat to speak. Threepio translated the speech directly, as nearly word-for-word as he could.

"Fellow Controllers, Administrators... and ladies," he began. "We are here tonight, as I am sure you all know, to welcome the Ambassadors of the New Republic of Allied Planets. I have to admit, when I learnt that the New Republic was sending us a female ambassador, I had several doubts of the wisdom of their decision; I wondered whether they were perhaps testing the seriousness of our desire to join their alliance. I also admit that I wondered at whether a mere woman would be able to handle the exigencies of the job at hand. However, having made the acquaintance of Ambassador Organa, I have no qualms in stating that a more charming, pleasant Ambassador I have never before had the pleasure of meeting." He paused and smiled at Leia, who nodded and smiled in return while the rest of the audience applauded. Han noticed that, undercover of the table, Leia's hands were clenched into fists. He couldn't help smiling at that. "Charming" and "pleasant" hardly described the Leia he knew either.

Hezzel raised his hand, and the applause ceased. "I do not wish to speak to you at great length tonight; however I do wish to express my hopes that today will mark the beginning of a great new era for Baros. I feel, as I am sure many of you also do, that Baros has remained isolated for too long. Our mineral wealth is great, though for us, inured to it as we are, it means nothing. Yet throughout the rest of the galaxy it could be of great value to others, and we hope through our alliance with the New Republic to open trade routes we never thought possible, and to advance as one of the foremost planets of the galaxy." Another storm of applause followed, which Hezzel gave free rein for a while before raising his hand again. "Thank you," he told the audience. "Now I shall sit down and have some more of this excellent wine, while I ask Ambassador Organa to say a few words, as a prelude to more formal negotiations during the next few days, to which, I may say, I am looking forward immensely."

There was more applause as Leia stood, but as she did so, she noticed directly opposite her, standing unnoticed in the corner of the room, the same server, again watching her with that knowing look. She dropped her eyes quickly to the audience, giving no reaction, not wanting to draw attention to the woman, and scanned the faces looking up at her as she waited for the applause to die. The men's faces were challenging, some openly hostile, some almost lecherous. Of the women's, some were awestruck, some hostile like the men's, and some looked worried. Worried for her or because of her, she couldn't tell. She took a deep breath and began her speech.

"Thank you, Chief Controller, for your introduction. Controllers, Administrators, fellow women," at that she heard a gasp as if the whole audience had drawn breath, and caught the server smiling broadly; "I understand your worries at my presence. However, let me reassure you that I was not sent here as a test. In the New Republic, all beings, regardless of gender, planetary origin, or humanoid or non-humanoid appearance, are free to pursue whatever goals they wish, with due regard to the well-being of others. I was a member of the Imperial Senate once, and also a member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. As a member of that Alliance, I fought for a galaxy where all people could be free, and it is around that vision that the New Republic bases its policies. I am here simply because I am an able councillor with much ambassadorial experience. In any other circumstances, my sex would be irrelevant. I hope during my stay here to convince you all that gender is no barrier to ability.

"In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your application to join the New Republic, and to state that I too am looking forward to beginning negotiations, and also hope that today may be the dawning of a new era for Baros. Thank you."

The applause was, of course, much less enthusiastic than that Hezzel had received, but Leia noticed as she sat down that many of the men now looked grudgingly admiring, and some of the women looked even more worried. She also noticed her server silently signalling applause and smiling enigmatically before slipping back out of the door. All-in-all, she felt it had gone as well as it could, and she took a gulp of her wine, sighing with relief as Hezzel rose again to thank her for her speech.

The ordeal was not yet over, however. The evening dragged on for several hours, at least in Standard time, as there were many controllers and eminent businessmen who were desirous of making her acquaintance, and who all seemed to want to speak to her at length about the implications of Baros joining the New Republic. Leia made many attempts to draw their wives into conversation, but as had been the case with Pera Hezzel, she got no more than a few words of smalltalk out of any of them.

Eventually, though the party still showed no signs of ending, she sought out Hezzel and made her excuses, telling him that the Baran days were longer than she was used to, and asked if it would be possible for their speeder to be called. Hezzel agreed readily, and escorted them to the exit, reminding them that a speeder would call for them tomorrow at 7:00 hours. He seemed keen to see them off and return to the party, and Leia found herself wondering if those left had been merely waiting for this moment so they could discuss her at their leisure.

* * *

Leia and Han were pleased the next day to discover that Chief Controller Hezzel was very busy, and would therefore not be joining them on the tour of "Baran sites of interest" he'd planned. Instead, they would be guided by a man who introduced himself as Administrator Kale Savarin, said he was sure he could answer any questions they might have, and hoped they would not take the Chief Controller's absence as any form of a slight. Leia assured him they would not.

The tour began with a long flight in an airspeeder which would take them to a mining site near the planet's equator. "I am sure," Savarin said, through Threepio of course, "that you will be impressed by our mines. We use a technology developed here on Baros, that by use of ultra-sensitive detectors, can find the richest veins of metal without any preliminary digging or disturbance of the ground, thus minimizing disruption of the surrounding areas. The drills themselves are also highly advanced, and make hardly any noise at all. You would scarcely know there was a mine there, the area itself remains so peaceful." Leia glanced at Han. The system sounded to her exactly like the one used by the Empire on inhabited worlds, at least those worlds where the inhabitants were important enough for the Empire to worry about upsetting them. Where the indigenous population was nonhuman, or primitive, of course, the Empire had never cared about how much disruption they caused. Han shrugged. It didn't sound that advanced to him, but maybe it was just an example of a naive world being proud of something they didn't know everyone else had.

Savarin continued. "After our visit to the mine, we will have lunch with the mine controller, and then go on to visit a farm. As you may have noticed, all the native vegetation on Baros has a naturally white colour. This is caused by the unusually high mineral content in our soil, which while proving very fertile, which is an advantage, also has the effect of somehow leaching out the colour of the plants. The effect is completely harmless, of course, but not everyone wants to always eat uniformly white food, so there are several of these farming areas, where the soil is specially treated so that it will not discolour the food. This makes the produce more expensive, of course, but we find people are generally willing to pay, even if they just see it as a special, occasional treat.

"Following this, we will return to Baros City, on the way passing the site where the first colony ship landed, more than five hundred years ago. Some parts of the ship still remain on the site, and it is a popular tourist site now, especially for people who had ancestors who died in the Great Plague."

Leia nodded. She'd read about the so-called Great Plague on the journey from Coruscant, in a briefing tape from the first Imperial survey of the planet. The colony had been flourishing for more than a century when a trading ship arrived and happened to be carrying a virus to which the people of Baros had no immunity. The population was decimated, with the females coincidentally being hardest hit, and the colony had then adopted the isolationist policy it still practised, turning its back on the outside galaxy to what extent the information had been vague, but she now saw it had been almost to the point of paranoia. That was also when, the survey had surmised, women had begun to be pushed into the wife-and-mother role, and it was certainly when the planet had been renamed, to reflect its new character. More recently, certainly by the time of the second Imperial survey, some small amount of trade was being allowed, but the planet still retained its deep-seated fears of contamination and change. According to that report, the Empire had decided against attempting to bring Baros into its control simply because it would be too much effort, and the military was preoccupied with the growing Rebel problem. It still didn't quite sound like the Empire to her, though, to survey a planet twice and then just walk away and leave it. Perhaps Threepio would turn something up when he got access to official Baran records.

She sat back, watched the scenery. The white trees were certainly striking, reminding her of winter forests, although the climate here was temperate, even warm. Baros had a low population, and the people seemed to gather in cities and industrial areas, leaving much of the world uninhabited and unspoilt. Coming from what she sometimes thought of as the insane world of Coruscant, she found the Baran landscape very restful.

"On returning to Baros City," Savarin concluded, "we will take a brief tour of the World Control Building, so that you can familiarize yourselves with it and our system of government, in preparation for the beginning of your negotiations with the Chief Controller tomorrow. Now I will allow you to relax and enjoy the scenery until we arrive at the mine, in approximately two hours."

* * *

Chief Controller Hezzel was, indeed, very busy. He was in the Cabinet Office with the other members of that body, watching a recording of the New Republic Ambassador's speech from the previous night.

"Fellow women!" Controller Silon Wing exclaimed. "I don't like that. She's here to cause trouble, you mark my words. As if the women weren't getting enough above themselves already. We don't need them being addressed like that, as if these matters are actually relevant to them!"

"Calm yourself, Silon," Hezzel told him. "No women heard her, except those like our own wives, who I'm sure are not going to cause any trouble. There's no question of the raw footage going out on the news, or anything like that."

"Certainly not," Controller Dorran Brye agreed. "Women's Section is already working on an edited version for media release, which will make sure even the most awkward Unsuitable doesn't hear anything to give her ideas above her station."

"There won't be much of it left," Wing grumbled. "All that rubbish about gender being no barrier to ability. It's outrageous."

"I agree," Controller Veen Jonas put in. "I don't trust her at all. At least with those Imperials you knew where you stood."

Brye was shaking his head. "I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "It seems. . . to not ring true with me. Why is there a man with her, when she's so arrogant about being such a wonderful ambassador and the best person for the job?"

"What do you mean?" Hezzel asked him.

"Simply that she may not be the real ambassador at all."

"You mean a figurehead?"

"Yes," Brye replied. "It makes sense, in a perverse kind of way. They obviously have these ideas, in the New Republic, that women should be equal with men, but of course they can't find women who can do this kind of job as well as a man can, so they send him with her to tell her what to say."

Hezzel looked unconvinced. "I have to say, they didn't come across to me that way when I first met them. I tried talking to the man, but he was adamant I address my remarks to her."

"All part of the charade," Brye maintained. "Did you notice last night, when she was speaking, he was watching her very closely, and other times, he was talking to her, very quietly, like he didn't want anyone else to hear. I think he was coaching her, making sure she said the right thing."

Jonas shook his head. "How could he want her to say what she was saying? It makes no sense, Dorran. I believe she is what she says she is, and I think we have to watch her very, very carefully."

* * *

The tour, as most of the tours of that type Leia had taken had been, was long, tiring, and not terribly interesting. It was a relief to get back to the apartment. She waited impatiently while Han did the counterintelligence sweep, then when he emerged from the second bedroom where they kept the equipment, she hugged him warmly, with a sigh. "What a day!" she breathed, and he laughed quietly. "You can say that again."

She smiled. "I would, but I don't think I have the energy. Come sit down with me?"

They sat on the couch, and Leia snuggled up beside her husband, resting her head on his shoulder. "At least here I'm not going to get called away to a meeting," she said thankfully.

Moments later, the door buzzed, and she looked up at Han, catching exactly the same look of disbelief on his face as she could feel on her own. They both burst into laughter. "I don't believe it!" Han exclaimed as Leia went to answer it.

She found herself faced with a Baran woman. "Good evening, Ambassador," the woman said, in perfect Basic. "I am Tyra Bel'aar, and I am here to offer you any secretarial support you might need during your stay on Baros."

"I. . . don't really need a secretary," Leia began, ushering the woman in.

"But you do need someone to tell you what women's lives are like on Baros," Tyra finished for her.

"Well, yes," Leia agreed. "That was what I was going to say." Entering the lounge, she smiled at Han. "This is Tyra," she told him. "She's - a secretary, yes?"

Tyra nodded. "I work in World Control, on the computers. It's badly paid, of course, and you don't get any credit, even when you're doing what should be your bosses' job; but you get plenty of access to information. I knew you were coming four days ago," she said proudly, "and I saw what a frenzy the idea of a woman ambassador sent the controllers into, too."

Leia smiled. "I can imagine."

Tyra sat down, as far away from Han as she could get, Leia noticed. "I spoke to my friends, and we decided one of us should visit you as soon as possible, to make sure you heard the truth about life here before Hezzel had any chance of convincing you that we actually like things the way they are."

Leia smiled again. "I don't think I would be likely to believe him without hearing the same thing from a woman, but thanks for your concern," she said. "Now, I really know very little even about Baros in general, so if you could tell me what you consider the most important things defining women's lives here, I would appreciate it."

Tyra nodded, and proceeded to remove her wig. Han blinked, looked at Leia, and she had to suppress her smile, reminding herself that whatever the reason, the wig obviously signified something important to this woman. Tyra ran her fingers through her real hair, shorn in a short masculine cut. "I wear this wig,"she began, "because on Baros, women, you may have noticed, never wear their hair short. They also never go out alone at night, so wearing my hair like this, I can pass as a man, if I don't draw attention to myself. I would love to be able to move around as I please, dress how I like, do all the other things you probably take for granted. But of course, those are not the most important things to me.

"Have you heard about Unsuitables, Ambassador?" Leia shook her head. "We are a class of women who have been excused the obligation to marry. It means we can continue working after the usual age when we are expected to marry, and we are able to move out of our family homes and live either alone or with other Unsuitables, but this carries a great stigma. Younger women usually work for a few years after leaving school, but their money goes straight to their fathers and they continue to live at home. If they have no family, they live in government hostels which take their earnings to pay for their keep. Anyone who applies to become Unsuitable is also put into a hostel, which again makes them stigmatized, since their parents lose the money they were earning, and often consider themselves shamed by their daughters."

"It sounds a terrible system," Leia commented.

"It is," Tyra agreed. "But I believe it could be solved if women were allowed to keep the money they earned from the beginning, and to continue working after marriage. It would open more jobs to them than just the kind of things I have to do when I'm capable of much more. They would let us take more responsibility if they didn't expect us to leave to get married. And that would mean they would have to give us more power in society, wouldn't it?"

Leia considered. "Theoretically, yes, I see what you mean. But it would be a long process. Surely the first priority would be getting women some political power, the right to vote, at least?"

"That would be a very long process, too," Tyra told her. "If you could only convince Hezzel we should be allowed the right to work for ourselves, on the same terms as men, that would begin to change not only women's situation but men's attitudes. At the moment, because we've never been given the chance to prove otherwise, they think we are incapable of all but the most facile tasks, and will not allow us to even try them. It's a vicious circle."

Leia nodded. "I understand."

"And it's not just my opinion," Tyra assured her. "I'm a member of an unofficial group. We call ourselves the Baran Movement to Free Women. We've discussed these issues, and all believe this is the best strategy to use."

"Very well," Leia agreed. "I take your point. You have first-hand knowledge of the situation, after all, and I'll introduce that subject into my negotiations with Hezzel as soon as I can. Are you in regular contact with the other members of your group?"

"Oh, yes," Tyra replied. "Working where I do makes it fairly easy to make surreptitious calls."

"Okay. You keep in touch with them, and I'll contact you when I've been able to discuss it with Hezzel and let you know what his opinion is."

"Thank you, Ambassador. I'm sure you will be able to help us."

After she'd replaced her wig and left, Han made a sceptical face. "Do you really think that's the most important thing for you to try and achieve?" he asked.

Leia shrugged. "I can't say it'd be my first choice of changes here," she said, "but that's what Mon Mothma told me: be guided by what the women actually want. And remember what she said: it's not just her opinion, it's a group decision. What I think is effectively irrelevant."

Han still didn't look convinced. "Except you have experience of how government works; they don't."

"They have experience of Baran methods of government, and how their society works," she reminded him. "I don't. I have to accept what they tell me. To do anything else would be arrogant."

Han shrugged. "Okay, sweetheart," he conceded. "I'm no diplomat, and you should know."

Leia smiled. "We shall see," she said.

* * *

_/From: Leia Organa Solo; Baros_

_/To: New Applications Committee; Coruscant_

_/Code: 7356/1139_

_I arrived here on Baros two days ago, and tomorrow will begin negotiations with the Baran head of government, Chief Controller Per Hezzel. I am not currently optimistic about the chances of success for my mission. Convincing Hezzel that change could be a good thing is likely to bean uphill struggle, at best. I have met with a woman who is a member of a group who call themselves The Baran Movement to Free Women, and they believe that the best way to improve women's situation here is through economic freedom. Having seen how deeply set are the attitudes which prevent this kind of change here, I cannot see Hezzel being more kindly disposed toward this than to a wholesale equalization of men's and women's roles. However, I am here to discover the viability of such change, and I shall do that, to the best of my ability._

_I feel that I should state, at this stage, that having seen the social situation here first hand, I would be unwilling to offer New Republic membership to Baros should the government prove intractable in this matter, and would argue against it to the Council in the strongest possible terms. Should some change be possible, I would be very pleased to see Baros admitted to the New Republic, but under the present circumstances, I would consider such an admission impossible. _

_I will report again when my negotiations with Hezzel are underway, and I can make a fuller assessment of the state of my mission._

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Arriving at the World Control Building the next morning, Leia and Han were somewhat nervous, and unsure what to expect. They certainly hadn't expected to find themselves in the middle of an impromptu picture call and press conference. Hezzel had already given an interview, and the reporters didn't seem to want to hear from Leia, so she found herself spending more time than she'd have liked holding Hezzel's hand and smiling for the cameras, while Han stood behind them, trying not to look as awkward as he felt, and Threepio found himself pushed out of range completely.

Finally, Hezzel called a halt, and ushered them inside as the reporters dispersed.

"Please forgive me," he asked them, as they entered the elevator. "There was no time to inform you of the meeting. The people have never experienced anything like this before, and they are very keen to see the Ambassador and hear from me that joining the New Republic will be no threat or danger to them."

"Have there been protests, then?" Leia asked curiously.

"Oh, no, no," Hezzel assured her. "Just that, as I'm sure you can appreciate in view of our past, my people can be a little afraid of any kind of outside influence. But I have reassured them, and it need not trouble you."

Leia nodded. Here was another problem, she thought. If people were resistant to outside influence, it would be even more difficult to effect any kind of change, even balancing that change against Hezzel's desire for greater trade - trade itself could constitute outside influence, after all.

Once they were seated in the conference room, Hezzel began immediately with the diplomatic smalltalk, and Leia had to assure him that she had enjoyed the previous day's tour, that Baros was a very beautiful and interesting planet, and even that their accommodations were comfortable and of a standard they were used to. Then, finally, he began on the real purpose of the meeting.

"Do you find Baros a suitable world for membership of the New Republic?"

Leia took a deep breath. No telling how he would react to what she had to say. She'd rehearsed this moment many times, but still wasn't positive he wouldn't be insulted.

"Chief Controller, the New Republic tries not to be exclusive, but as you know, our alliance is based around certain ideals, developed in an attempt to ensure that the abuses of power the Empire perpetrated will not happen again. These ideals are all set out in the New Republic Constitution, which you received with the acknowledgement of your application, and provide for the freedom of all peoples, guarding against the exploitation of one group by another."

Hezzel interrupted her. "It also, if I am reading Section 2, Paragraph correctly, protects the right of planetary governments to rule their worlds without interference from the galactic government."

"Indeed you are correct," Leia acknowledged, "but those rights are subject to the proviso I mentioned earlier, that no form of exploitation should be tolerated. We would not, for example, allow a world that routinely held slaves to join the New Republic."

"An admirable decision," Hezzel agreed. "But I do not see its relevance to the situation here. Baros does not hold slaves."

"No, you just keep women," Han murmured, and Hezzel stared at him. Leia spoke quickly to distract the Chief Controller from asking what he'd said. "Nobody is suggesting that," she assured him. "But your system here is very different from that in the rest of the New Republic. We need more information than we at present have, in order to be able to make a judgement of whether the system is a fair one. Can you tell me, for example, how the system concerning women came about? I know it was not practised on the world the original colonists came from."

"No, it wasn't," Hezzel agreed. "Claru was a very outward-looking world, much involved in the business of the wider galaxy. You have, of course, heard of the Great Plague?" Leia indicated that she had. "After the Plague, the colony here found itself much reduced in number, and afraid that any attempts at help from outside might merely make things worse. So they decided to become self-sufficient, manage without any help from outside. The immediate problem, however, was how the colony itself would survive, decimated as it was. The original idea came from the women themselves, since the task of ensuring population growth must naturally fall to them. They chose to dedicate themselves to children and family, taking that important role to ensure the survival of the colony while the men dealt with the more short-term concerns of setting up the industrial and agricultural bases for the colony. As you can no doubt see, they were indeed successful."

Leia nodded. "I can. But all this was hundreds of years ago. Surely such a strict separation of roles is not necessary today?"

Hezzel smiled. "Necessary, perhaps not. But we have not yet seen any reason to change a system that works so well."

"Not even if the women want it changed?"

The smile this time seemed a little patronising. "I cannot say I have heard any women asking," he said.

Leia chose not to be diverted from the line of questions she wanted to pursue. "What of the women who work?" she asked. "Do none of them wish to continue their work after they marry?"

Hezzel looked openly scornful of that idea. "I have never heard of it," he said. "I think they find themselves busy enough looking after their husbands and children, without needing outside work."

"Yet there are many women in the New Republic who continue working after marriage and do not find it too difficult," Leia told him.

"Then I can only say that your women take their responsibilities as wives less seriously than ours do. Well really!"

Leia smothered a smile at Threepio's sudden departure from protocol. Han was less restrained, and drew another disdainful look from Hezzel for it.

"I think," Leia began carefully, "that what I would really like to do, if it could be arranged, would be to speak directly to some women, find out how they feel about the situation. Would this be possible?"

"I will try to arrange such a meeting for you," Hezzel offered grudgingly. "I believe it is around time we adjourned for lunch anyway, so I will see what can be done during the break, and we can meet here again in two hours."

"Very well," Leia agreed. "I will look forward to it."

* * *

That evening, Han was relaxing while Leia took a shower, when the door buzzed. He went to answer it, and was faced with a young woman and a food trolley. "You ordered some food, sir?" she asked pleasantly, in Basic.

Han gave her a quizzical look. "No."

The woman looked surprised. "But, sir, I'm sure you did. Some wine, light snacks. . .?" She tailed off, looking hopeful.

"I'm sure I didn't. And I'm really sure Threepio didn't. Now -"But the woman was persistent. "Sir, could you please check with the ambassador? I'd hate to take it all the way back to the kitchen and then have to bring it all the way back up again."

Han frowned. He'd been in the living room since they'd returned from the meeting with Hezzel, and was sure Leia hadn't called the kitchen. But it didn't look like the woman was going anywhere until he'd checked, so he called her. Leia emerged from the bathroom, wearing a loose shift and patting her wet hair with a towel. "What?" she asked.

"This girl seems to think you ordered food," he told her. "Did you?"

Leia shook her head. "No. I - " But then she caught sight of the woman. It was the very same server who'd been at the state dinner on their first night here. She gasped, but gathered herself quickly, mindful of the guard outside, even if he was halfway down the corridor. "There you are!" she exclaimed. "You took so long, I'd almost forgotten I'd ordered it. Bring it in, please."

"Yes, ma'am," the woman replied. "Shall I stay to serve it?"

"Yes, please." Leia turned to Han. "Have you checked my notes tonight?"

"Yeah, I did it right after we got back."

Leia nodded. "Maybe you'd better go over them again, see there's nothing you missed. I'll get dressed." She turned back to the server. "Could you begin with the food while I do that?"

As the woman began taking dishes and utensils out of the trolley, Leia followed Han into the bedroom, where he'd already begun the sensor sweep.

"Is she clean?" she asked quietly.

"Looks like it," Han replied softly. "There's a datapad in the trolley, probably the menu and check. No sensory equipment, though, and nothing on her."

"Nothing else in the room?"

"I checked it myself this evening. Just Threepio."

Leia smiled. "Good."

Han looked at her as he tapped the small keyboard. "Mind telling me what's going on here?"

Leia smiled again. "Can't say yet, but stick around. It should be interesting." She quickly went into the other bedroom, put on some slippers, threw a long robe over her shift, and brushed her hair back.

Back in the living room, the server handed her a glass of wine. Han had already helped himself to one. She sat down, and tasted it. "Very nice," she commented. "How do you come to speak Basic?"

"I studied," the woman replied simply. "There's no laws against that, at least. And if anyone of any use ever came here from offplanet, I wanted to make sure I could speak to them. I'm Rie, by the way."

Leia nodded. "Well, I guess you know us. It was you at the dinner the first night, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I liked your speech, by the way. It didn't say nearly enough, of course, but it got some of them rather scared."

"Well, I couldn't afford to say that much," Leia told her. "The first hurdle was to get them to take me seriously. My biggest problem now is what I should be saying to them next. I hope you can help me with that."

Rie gave her a look. Not hostile, actually, but not far off it. "What you should say to them is, 'Give the women power, or no deal.' Period."

Han chuckled. "Good goin', kid," he murmured. Rie glared at him. "Sorry," he told her, wearing his most innocent face. "But I agree with you."

Leia sighed. "But, Rie, what if they simply reply, okay, we don't need the New Republic. That's waving goodbye to any chance you might have of making some change."

"You can make them change," Rie insisted. "How many planets in the New Republic? There must be hundreds, thousands. And I know you must have weapons, starships - it would be easy for you."

Leia sighed again. "Look, Rie, I'm going to level with you. To begin with, I wanted to simply turn down Baros' application to the New Republic. You heard my speech - the inequality here sickens me. When I first heard about it, I called it slavery -"

"That's exactly what it is!" Rie cut in. "So you'd just ignore us, would you, leave us as slaves so you can run your Republic according to some high ideals and forget anybody who just might happen to be suffering while you sit among your perfect worlds and feel good about yourself?"

Han looked at her. "She's got a point, Leia."

"Hey, cut me some slack here," Leia exclaimed, then, seeing the confusion on Rie's face at the idiom, added, "I mean, give me a chance. I want to help you, I really do. From the moment I met Hezzel, I knew I'd been wrong to want to ignore Baros. But the last thing I want is a military coup. If we're going to do anything, it has to be done peacefully. Power by force just doesn't work. The men have that kind of power over you. For us to bring the weight of the New Republic to bear on them would be just as bad."

Rie frowned. "But doesn't the reason behind it make a difference?"

"I'm afraid not," Leia replied. "And think of the consequences. The changes would have to be enforced; before you knew it, you'd be living in a military state. Just like the Empire." Rie looked questioning at that, but Leia shook her head. "It's a long story. But trust me, it's not pleasant."

Rie frowned again. "Okay, so you won't fight for us. But what are you going to do?"

Leia gave a mental sigh of relief. Rie still sounded like she didn't trust her, but at least she'd accepted her decision. "Well," she began, picking up her drink again and realizing she hadn't touched it since the first sip, "that's what I wanted you to help me with. It's been very hard finding out what the women here feel are priorities for change. I'm supposed to have a meeting with some women tomorrow, but no doubt it'll just be more controllers' wives, may the Force be with me, I hardly got two words out of them at the dinner. Apart from them, and yourself, I've only met with one other woman, though she does at least have access to a group - " Rie was looking suspicious. "What's wrong?" Leia asked her.

"Who did you speak to?"

"Tyra Bel'aar," Leia replied. "Do you know her?"

Rie was scowling now. "You bet I do. Tyra Bel'aar." She practically spat the name out. "And I suppose she told you the most important thing for women is work?"

Leia frowned slightly. "Well, yes. And money. The chance to keep the money they earn."

"That's typical," Rie fumed. "Just typical."

Leia was looking confused. She took another sip of her wine. "Rie, why don't you calm down a little, and just explain to me your ideas. Like I said, Tyra's just one person and I need more than just her input before I can put anything to the Chief Controller."

Rie took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I used to agree with her once. I. . . ." She glanced at Han. "I don't want to talk about it with him here."

Han looked hurt, and maybe just a little disappointed, but when Leia asked him to leave, he did, taking his wine and a plate of food with him. "I guess I'll go see what they said about us on the news today," he murmured.

Rie looked around. "The droid too." Threepio somehow managed to look hurt as well, and protested when Leia asked him to shut down. "That's an order, Threepio," Leia told him firmly. If Rie was willing to trust her enough to talk at all, she felt she could at least repay that trust by not covertly recording her words in Threepio's memory.

She moved to sit beside Rie on the couch. The girl was looking nervous. "Now, what is it?" Leia asked gently. Rie took another deep breath. "Well, the thing about Tyra is, she's safe - she's Unsuitable. She told you about Unsuitables, yes?" Leia nodded. "Well, Unsuitables are lucky - they're the luckiest women on this planet. Some of us aren't so lucky. You see, a few years ago, the Controllers decided there were far too many women managing to go Unsuitable - there were men who wanted wives and couldn't get them. So they changed the laws - they raised the age when you could apply for it, and made it more difficult to pass the psychiatric evaluation. Then, unless you're really ugly, really stupid, or they think you might actually kill any husband they gave you, you have to join a marriage agency - did Tyra tell you about them?" Leia shook her head, amazed at what she was hearing. "No - I didn't know about any of this."

"Well, it was after her time." Rie's voice was heavy with bitterness. "Like I said, she was one of the lucky ones. I knew someone. . . her name was Kit. . . she was. . . my best friend. Kit applied to become Unsuitable. She failed the test. They made her join a marriage agency. She managed to put a lot of them off. But there was one man. . . who decided he wanted her, and he wouldn't be put off. She was so beautiful," Rie murmured, her voice cracking. "When they fixed the date for the wedding. . . she killed herself." She met Leia's eyes again, and Leia flinched at the anger and bitterness there. "Can you understand how that makes me feel, Ambassador?" she asked, through clenched teeth.

Leia had to look away from those eyes. "Yes. . . yes, I can," she murmured.

"HOW CAN YOU?" Rie practically screamed. "How can you sit there, as Ambassador, coming from a high-minded Republic that takes personal freedom for granted, and tell me you understand?" She burst into tears. "Who have you seen die, Ambassador?"

"Who?" Leia said quietly. "Because of the Empire, my entire home planet."

Rie stared at her open-mouthed, shocked out of both her anger and her grief. "I. . . " she stammered, "I don't believe you."

Leia met her eyes again. "You'd better believe it," she said evenly, "because it's true."

"How?" Rie gasped. "When? What. . .?" she trailed off, unable to find words for all the questions she wanted to ask.

Leia sighed. "It was a long time ago," she said. "I wasn't much older than you are now." She shook her head. "It was the kind of thing the Empire used to do to keep people in line. And one of the reasons the New Republic is so determined to be different."

Rie bit her lip. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "And I'm sorry for. . . for screaming at you like that. I had no idea. . . ."

Leia nodded, not looking at her. "I know. It's not your fault." She sighed deeply, collected herself. "But I promise you, I knew nothing about these marriage agencies, the level of coercion you're subjected to. Getting that changed will be a priority from now on."

"Thank you," Rie said softly. She shook herself. "I'd better get back to the kitchen. I've been gone a long time. Can I just get your thumbprint on the order before I go, Ambassador?"

Leia caught the other woman's arm as she began to get up. "Rie, please call me Leia. You made 'Ambassador' sound like a swear word tonight."

Rie bowed her head. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Leia shook her head. "Your bitterness was understandable. But I do want to help you."

Rie smiled, slowly. It was a sad smile, but one Leia was immeasurably glad to see. "I know," she said. "And thank you."

"Thank you," Leia told her. "I know you took a chance coming here tonight, and choosing to trust me. I'll try to justify it."

After Rie had left, Leia went to the bedroom, where Han was stretched out on the bed, his empty glass and plate on the table beside him. He smiled at her. "How'd you get on?" he asked, then noticed her face. "What's wrong?"

Leia sighed. "Hold me?"

He did.

* * *

Leia lurched from sleep, gasping as if she was half-drowned. Clutching her chest and panting, she realized she was sitting bolt upright. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, and attempted to reach back, find out what had woken her. Almost immediately, she remembered, and the tears started, tears that she couldn't stop and couldn't even think of quieting.

Han's worried hand on her shoulder made her jump. She couldn't speak. He folded her trembling body into his arms and held her gently, whispering soothingly to her. "It's okay, Leia," he told her. "I'm here. You're safe. Just relax, sweetheart." She barely heard him through her choking sobs, but the sound of his voice and the warmth of his touch comforted her. She coughed, hyperventilating, and Han kept talking to her, stroking her back, encouraging her to breathe deeply until the storm passed. She was shaking badly. He wrapped the quilt around her shoulders and smoothed her hair, then asked gently, "Were you dreaming? Do you want to talk about it?"

She swallowed hard. "It was Alderaan again," she groaned. Her voice was hoarse.

Han grimaced in sympathy. "I was beginning to hope those dreams had stopped."

"So. . . was I." She shivered. For years, Leia had suffered from nightmares about the death of Alderaan. Nothing had helped her, even when Luke had tried a Jedi hypnosis technique on her, she'd begun reliving it so vividly he'd had to pull her out. Recently, however, she'd been free of the dreams, and Han had thought that, finally, time was beginning to heal her.

"This was different, though," she murmured, pulling the quilt tighter around her. "This time, I was with Father. . . Bail Organa, I mean," she corrected herself. "Really, I was with my father, wasn't I?"

He held her close, unable to say anything.

"It was. . . it was like nothing had happened," Leia continued, horror in her voice. "We were together, on Alderaan, everything was exactly how it was the last time I was there. . . I was so happy to be back. And then I realized. . . something wasn't right. . . I didn't understand how I could be there. . . . And then it all came flooding back." Her tears began to fall again. "It was like I was right there, Han. . . . In the middle of it all. . . . Father was dying. . . Alderaan was dying." Her voice cracked. "And there was nothing I could do!"

Han held her tight, his expression grim, remembering how he'd come out of hyperspace in the Falcon, to chunks of the dead planet flying all around him. Many times he'd thought, if only he'd gotten there sooner. . . but he hadn't even known her then. And he knew there was nothing he could have done. Just as Leia did.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, knowing nothing he could say could stop her pain. If there was anything he could do, he would do it, like a shot. But there wasn't. They just had to wait it out.

Leia looked up at him, her face wet with tears, blurry in the half-light of early dawn outside. But still the face he loved more than any other. The first time he'd heard Leia talk about Alderaan, that was when he knew he'd never leave the Rebel Alliance.

"I hate it, Han," Leia whispered. "I still think about Alderaan, a lot. But to see it like that, it was. . . it was. . . ." But she had no words.

Han held her close. He had no words either. There were no words for what the Empire had done, not just to Alderaan. The list of their victims was endless. And yet all they could do was try and prevent similar things from happening. Perhaps he was beginning, finally, to understand Leia's political approach to problems. . . .

He eased her back down onto the pillows. "Try and get some sleep, sweetheart. You've got a busy day tomorrow."

Leia held onto him tightly. "I'll try," she whispered. "Just don't let go of me."

Han's arms tightened around her. "Never," he promised fervently. "You can count on that."

Leia sighed and closed her eyes. But it was a long time before either of them managed to fall asleep again.

* * *

Leia left her speeder at the World Control Building the next morning feeling more tired than she'd felt when she'd gone to bed. Talking with Rie, and the dream that conversation sparked off, had exhausted her. Her body ached, her head felt muzzy, and the prospect of the meeting with what she'd already come to think of as "Hezzel's women" was not a cheering one.

Hezzel met her in the lobby, and she sighed inwardly as she mustered a smile for him. "Good morning, Ambassador," he greeted her. "Is Captain Solo not joining us this morning?"

"No," Leia replied, somewhat confused by the question, searching her mind desperately for diplomatic phrases, hoping the implication wasn't that Hezzel intended to sit in on the meeting. She gave another inward sigh and trusted to Threepio to give her reply in terms that wouldn't insult the Chief Controller. "Since I'll be talking with women about women's lives on Baros, there is no reason for any man to be at the meeting."

It was Hezzel's turn to look confused. Then understanding seemed to dawn. "Of course, the lives of women - ordinary women, that is, not those like yourself - do not concern men. What man can hope to fathom a woman's mind, after all?"

Leia's mind went blank. She wanted to slap his smug face. _Fathom this, you creep,_ she thought, and sent him a tidal wave of hostility, trusting that he wasn't a Force-sensitive. "Thank him, Threepio," she said, smiling at Hezzel all the time. "Tell him I'm looking forward to talking to the women, and ask can we go now."

Threepio must have done well, because Hezzel smiled and ushered them into the elevator. On the way up, Leia deep-breathed and willed calm and rationality into every fibre of her being.

There were six women in the room, and Leia's heart sank as Hezzel introduced them to her. "Pera Hezzel, my own wife, who you know; Dorrana Brye, wife of Controller Brye; Braska Tobin, wife of Administrator Tobin; Treya Gorsis, wife of Administrator Gorsis; Silona Wing, wife of Controller Wing; and Kirel Wing, daughter of Controller Wing." Leia greeted each of them as he indicated them, noticing that they all looked nervous, except for Kirel Wing, the token unmarried woman, who appeared defiant. "I hope you have a pleasant talk, ladies," Hezzel told them, and then took his leave, smiling encouragingly around the table.

Leia took the last remaining seat, at the head of the table, and Kirel, who, as the youngest, had been put on serving duty, handed her a mug of tea, which she felt she needed badly.

"Thank you all for coming," she began, hoping she could put them at their ease. She couldn't face having to drag words out of them as she'd had to do with the women at the state dinner. "I'm sure you know who I am, and why I'm here. My purpose in this particular meeting is to try - " She stopped herself. _There is no try_, Luke kept telling her. She hoped he was right. ". . . is to find out," she amended, "what life is like for women on Baros. So far I've only been able to talk to the men,and although I'm sure they are well-meaning - " (Hah! she added to herself ) "I'm sure you know that the social system here is very different from what I'm used to. I'm hoping you can help me understand the Baran system from the women's perspective, let me know what you see as its advantages and disadvantages. Is there anything in particular you would like to discuss?"

Nothing. Dead silence. The women looked at the table, at their tea mugs, at each other, anywhere but at Leia. Her heart sank again. Maybe if I try something more specific. . . "Well," she offered, "maybe we could begin by talking about your marriage system. How does that work?"

Still nothing. Right. Time to play dirty. "Kirel." The girl's head snapped round to look at her. "Are you planning to marry?"

Kirel scowled at her, but answered proudly. "Yes. In half a year."

"Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes." Kirel returned her attention to her tea.

"Of course she's looking forward to it," Silona Wing put in. "Marriage is the greatest thing that can happen to a woman. It is her whole purpose in life. You are not married, are you, Ambassador?"

"No," Leia lied, thinking, _Sorry, Han, but you'd understand. I hope!_

"Well, then," Silona smiled. "You wouldn't understand. When you do marry, you'll see what I mean."

"It's those poor Unsuitables I feel sorry for," Treya Gorsis offered. "Those poor, lonely girls. And when there are perfectly decent men around who refuse to marry. What must those men be thinking of?"

Braska Tobin gave Treya a hostile look. Her son had refused marriage, and she took the other woman's words as a personal slight. But before she could argue, Silona Wing jumped in again. "Everyone knows those men hate women," she stated. "They prefer the company of other men, drink till all hours in the bars; how they look after themselves without wives, I can't imagine. How can their mothers have brought them up?"

This was too much for Braska. She began objecting, something about "aspersions on my mothering", drowning Silona's remaining words. Treya and Dorrana Brye joined the fray then, and Threepio found himself unable to make head or tail of any of it.

Leia called for attention, but no-one seemed to be listening to her, except for Kirel Wing, who was smirking nastily, and Pera Hezzel, sitting directly opposite Leia, who had sat impassive throughout the whole thing. Exasperated, Leia banged her empty mug on the table, until the women finally stopped arguing and turned to stare at her. "That's better," she sighed. "Ladies, I'm sorry, but if you all talk at once, Threepio is unable to translate, and without that, this meeting is pointless." She looked around. "Madam Hezzel, could you please explain to me what the problem is? There are men and women who do not wish to marry, is that right?"

"Not quite, Ambassador," Pera replied in measured tones. "Unsuitables are women who cannot marry; they have something psychologically wrong with them, usually, or sometimes they are so unattractive that men would not wish to marry them. The Unsuitable status allows them to continue working, and they are allowed to live alone, with other Unsuitables, or with their parents, as they wish. Men, on the other hand, have the choice to marry or not. A small minority, for whatever reason, decide not to."

"I see. Thank you." Leia took a deep, deep breath. Here goes nothing. "Why do women not also have a free choice over whether to marry or not?"

The women looked confused, bewildered, as if she'd asked "Why are there stars in the sky?" She waited. Finally, Dorrana Brye shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Leia looked at her, hoping she was going to speak, but Dorrana wouldn't meet her eyes. Leia was getting desperate. "There must be some reason," she said. "I don't want a definitive answer. Why do you think it is? It's something I'm not used to, and I just don't understand why you shouldn't have a free choice." She looked around hopefully. Eventually, Pera Hezzel met her eyes.

"I don't think that's the kind of question you should ask, Ambassador. The current situation seems to suit Baros well; why change it?"

Leia felt she was at a turning-point. Should she push the issue further, or let it drop? She was here to push, but pushing too far, too soon, could jeopardise everything. She decided to change the subject, and maybe work back round to it later.

"Okay. Well, tell me more about the Unsuitables, then. How do they get that status?"

Pera Hezzel smiled, feeling on much safer ground. She tried to make her explanation as clear as possible, hoping Per would be proud of her. "We give them every chance to find a husband," she began. "No woman is considered for Unsuitable status until she is at least seventeen - or just over twenty-four Standard years - old," Threepio added. "The Unsuitable's life is a hard one, which no woman, I am sure, would freely choose. There are extensive psychological tests - many women, you see, have simply had bad experiences of one sort or another at some time in their lives, and often they are able to work these out, with help. All but the most obviously Unsuitable are then given further help to find a husband, through what we call a marriage agency. A man who is looking for a wife, and who hasn't managed to find a suitable one yet, can apply to the agencies, and they will attempt to find him a compatible woman from those registered with them. A woman can remain with an agency for up to two years, but if after that time she has still failed to find a husband, then I'm afraid we have to consign her to Unsuitability. The agencies' success rate is quite high, however."

Leia was horribly fascinated by Pera's speech. The woman was evidently proud of the marriage agency idea - Leia wondered if it had been one of her husband's brainwaves - or, even, perhaps, her own, she explained it with such relish. She also quite clearly regarded Unsuitables with horror and pity.

Leia smiled at her, since she obviously expected some sort of praise for her speech. "This is very interesting," she told her. "Do you have any idea of the numbers involved - how many women are considered for Unsuitability, and how many are eliminated by the tests, and the marriage agencies?"

"I can tell you that," Dorrana Brye offered. "My husband works in the Women's Department of World Control, and he told me that in the last year, throughout the whole of Baros City, only about five hundred women became Unsuitable."

There were murmurs of approval and pleasure from around the table. Leia thought back to Kale Savarin's tour commentary. The approximate population of Baros City was two million. She wondered just how many had applied for Unsuitability and been forced into marriage, or ended up like Rie's friend Kit. . . .

She mentally shook herself. No time to get lost in thoughts like that now. Kirel was handing out more tea, and Leia sipped from her mug, attempting to gather herself. She could feel she was losing it. She didn't know how much longer she could sit and listen to these women talk so happily about things which were beginning to simply horrify her.

Deciding to stay on hopefully safer ground for the rest of the meeting, she asked the women about the Baran education system, and what life was like for a girl growing up. The education system, for the most part at least, did not discriminate, although girls finished their education earlier than boys, and gained no recognized qualifications: diplomas and degrees were only for men. The girls were then expected to work, for at least two years, usually in supportive roles, since they were not expected to stay at work long. The money they earned, of course, went straight to their fathers. They left their jobs five months before they married, and never did paid work again. It seemed, to Leia, an extremely empty life, used as she was to constantly being busy. The women seemed to accept it all so unquestioningly, however, that she, not for the first time, despaired of her chances of ever seeing any change made.

Eventually, deciding she could get no further with them, except further into her own depression, she thanked the women for their time and closed the meeting.

* * *

_/From: Leia Organa Solo; Baros_

_/To: New Applications Committee; Coruscant_

_/Code: 7356/1142_

_I am afraid to say that I am becoming less optimistic by the day about this mission's chance of success. I have now met with a woman who has no ties with the Baran Movement to Free Women, but who feels very strongly that economic freedom is of no use to Baran women while they can be forced into marriage against their will, when some women have so dreaded the idea of marriage that they have found suicide their only alternative. Following this meeting last night, I today met with a group of women who are married to government members, the best Hezzel could do when I asked to speak to some women. They proved as resistant to change as Hezzel and other Baran men have been, subscribing wholesale to the social system. Had I spoken to no other women, I would by now have been ready to believe that Baros enjoys a consensus for its treatment of women, but when two so different women as Tyra Bel'aar and Rie (she told me no family name) have visited me at great risk to themselves and explained to me their objections to the system, I have to take that seriously. I have been particularly affected by what Rie told me of how women are treated when they simply ask for the right not to marry a man they did not even select; facts which were confirmed by the women Hezzel arranged for me to speak to, though of course, their attitude to that treatment was completely different. The system is cruel, and unjustified by any circumstances. Yet it is so difficult and dangerous for those women who object to protest the situation that nothing changes. _

_My only hope for effecting change is Hezzel's definite desire to widen Baros' trade, but at the same time I cannot believe that Hezzel, however much he wants to open Baros to the galaxy, will accept the kind of change to women's lives that we want to see. The only other option seems to be to push for some emigration to be allowed, but with the planet's history, this has to be seen as a very last resort. Yet I reiterate what I said before: I will not recommend Baros' application to the New Republic under present circumstances. There are no meetings tomorrow, but when we resume the day after, I will be telling Hezzel just that. _

_May the Force be with me._

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Leia woke in a panic. She hadn't heard the alarm, she would be late, Hezzel would tear her apart. . . . But when she looked up at the chrono-alarm, it showed it was still early, and she suddenly remembered, in a wave of relief, that this was a free day. There would be no alarms to wake her, nothing for her to jump out of bed and rush off to, no meetings, no Chief Controller! She could relax. For once.

Smiling, Leia snuggled back down into her pillow and closed her eyes. Han's body was warm against her back, the weight of his arm comforting around her waist. She reached for his hand and drew it up to her lips, kissing his fingers lightly. Mornings like this were too rare, she reflected wistfully.

Behind her, Han stirred in his sleep and turned slowly, to lie on his back. She turned with him, and laid her head on his chest.

. . .And must have dozed off again, because when she next opened her eyes, it was light. She snuggled a little closer to Han, and he hugged her and kissed the top of her head. She smiled. "You're awake?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I panicked, thought we must be late for a meeting. Then I remembered."

Leia rolled over, smiled into his eyes. "Me too. Earlier than you, though."

Han brushed her hair away from her face, twined it around his fingers. "You know, there's one thing I like about this mission," he told her.

"And what's that?" Leia asked guardedly, expecting a wisecrack.

But none came. Instead, Han gently stroked her cheek, whispering, "The fact that we get to spend some time together."

Leia smiled with pleasure. He could still surprise her. She embraced him tightly, holding him close against her. "I love you, Han Solo," she whispered.

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied softly, serious for once.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Han reached up to take her face in his hands, drew her down into a kiss. Any thoughts of the mission were gone from both their minds in that moment. They got so little time alone together these days, and that made the time they did have all the more precious. To have a whole day free, to be guaranteed no interruptions, no urgent calls to meetings or conferences, was an almost unheard-of luxury. And they were both determined to make the most of it while they could. Using one of the few Force skills she trusted, Leia gently touched Han's mind, and was almost overwhelmed by the love she felt there. His feelings were so gentle, so tender. It reminded her of the first time he'd taken her in his arms and kissed her. She'd been amazed then by his tenderness, not at all what she'd expected from a smuggler and mercenary. But then she'd quickly learned he was much more than that stereotype. And she couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be than in his arms, on a day like this, with nothing to spoil the perfect moment.

* * *

Being used to action as they were, it wasn't likely that Han and Leia would be able to spend a whole day just doing nothing. So it was that, by early afternoon, they had taken an airspeeder from the palace garage and gone off to do some sightseeing. The garage controller had been able to give them coordinates for what he considered the most beautiful area of the planet, and though they had laughed at his pompous title, his aesthetic sense proved sound, and the scenery was indeed spectacular.

Leia leaned back in her seat and sighed contentedly. "This planet really is beautiful. It doesn't seem fair somehow."

Han nodded but didn't respond. He'd noticed that one of the terrain following sensors was slightly off. It wasn't a major problem, but it took a little more of his attention than it should. "I'm going to get up a little higher," he advised Leia. "The view won't be as good, but at least I can forget about avoiding the high trees."

As the speeder rose smoothly, Leia stretched luxuriantly - as much as she could in the small cockpit. "This is the most relaxing day I've had for ages," she smiled. She looked at Han. "We should take a free day more often."

Han glanced sideways at her. "I wish we could, sweetheart," he said wryly. "But it's not me that's constantly in and out of Council meetings. How come most of the councillors I see seem to spend a couple of hours a day in meetings and the rest sitting around in the lounges, when you can hardly find ten minutes spare?"

Leia sighed. "Han, you have to remember the New Republic is still very new. There are so few people who are experienced in government, and worked with the Alliance - those of us who did have to do all we can now until others are ready to take over. We can't take any chances now. The set-up is just too fragile."

Han looked sceptical. "And would you be able to take a back seat once things are more settled?"

Leia smiled and shook her head. "Don't ask me things like that," she told him. "Sure, I look forward to having less work to do. But I made a commitment to the Republic, and I have to fulfil it."

"I know, " he sighed. "You're so honourable. More than I am." He swung the speeder around, heading for a waterfall that had just appeared on the scope. Leia said nothing, but smiled to herself, thinking of how Han had joined the Alliance, coming into the Battle of Yavin in his own unique way. She'd hoped he would help them, but hadn't asked, knowing if he was put under pressure he might bolt. And after that, she'd hoped he would stay around a while. She hadn't expected him to stay three years, though. Over that time, she'd come to admire his piloting, his leadership qualities. . . and, eventually, she'd come to care for him as a good friend. And now. . . well, who could have guessed that, eight years on from Yavin, the Imperial Senator and Alderaanian princess would be married to the Corellian smuggler?

She smiled at him. "What?" he asked. She shook her head. "I was just thinking about honour," she told him. Han smiled that one-sided smile she loved, then was distracted. "Would you look at that?" he gasped.

Leia leaned forward, looking out the cockpit window. "That is amazing," she marvelled. The waterfall must have been over a kilometre high. The noise of it, even muffled by the speeder's insulation, was thunderous. Small rainbows glistened around the base, and a larger one arced right over the top. "Beautiful," Leia murmured, following the fall of water as it bounced off rocks along its sides, the spray ricocheting over the white trees flanking the river the falls emptied into.

Han swung the speeder around to get closer to the falls itself, and they flew past the torrent, the spray battering against the windows. Leia laughed out loud. "This is wonderful!" she exclaimed. Han's eyes twinkled. "Want to go again?" He pulled up, intending to turn high above the falls and come round again, but the speeder began to shudder. Looking worried, he pulled on a lever. Then another. "What's wrong?" Leia asked. He shrugged, struggling to regain control.

A flurry of sparks shot across the instrument panel, and they both sprang back in their seats, shielding their eyes. Han began to panic, wrenched at levers, punched switches, but the speeder didn't respond. "Looks like we're going down, sweetheart," he told her through clenched teeth. "Better find something to hang on to."

Leia gripped the armrests of her seat as the speeder began a stomach-churning dive, its engine choking. Thankfully, she noticed through her terror, they were heading toward the forest, not the falls or the river. "May the Force be with us," she whispered. Han, still wrestling with the controls, answered tensely, "I second that," a moment before they hit the trees. She closed her eyes and braced herself, and Han taking her hand was the last thing she was aware of.

* * *

Consciousness returned to Han slowly, beginning with a sound in his head which quickly became a loud throbbing, then a heavy, painful thumping. He went to reach up to massage his temples, but as he did so, became aware that he was holding something in his right hand. Something. . . Leia! He'd taken her hand, right before they hit the trees. But. . . what about the rest of her? Carefully, frowning against the thumping in his head, he turned toward her, opened his eyes, and was immediately stabbed in them by a thousand sharp points of light. More cautiously, he tried again, and squinting against the pain, he looked at Leia. She was still unconscious, but breathing. Gently, he touched her face, felt for a pulse in her neck. It was strong enough. She seemed unharmed, but he refrained from moving her, in case there was damage he couldn't see.

But first he had to tend to his own damage. Carefully disengaging his hand from hers, he turned to get the medpak, but stopped with a start. Standing outside the wrecked speeder, clearly visible through the shattered front viewport, was a woman. A woman unlike any of the Baran women he'd seen so far. She was wearing trousers, boots, what looked like an old, very well-worn flight jacket. Her face was devoid of makeup, though she wore many large earrings, and her hair was roughly plaited in several braids. And she had a blaster aimed right at his head.

"Caral tota natichala," she said, her eyes never leaving his hands, which he'd reflexively raised. Han thought quickly, but came up with no useful plan. He wasn't carrying a blaster. For once, he'd listened to Leia. "We're on a diplomatic mission," she'd told him, "and besides that we're going sightseeing. What need will you have for a gun?" So he didn't even have the tiny holdout blaster he habitually carried. Great, he thought. So much for diplomacy.

"Caral tota natichala," the woman repeated insistently. "Grazili."

Han would have shaken his head in despair, but it hurt too much. Raising his hands higher, hoping she understood at least that bit of body language, he told her quietly, "I'm sorry, but I don't understand the language."

He didn't know what he'd expected her to do. Shoot him outright, perhaps. He certainly didn't expect her to throw back her head and laugh loudly, forgetting herself enough even to raise her blaster. But that's what she did. If Han intended to make a move, this was the time to do it, but he was too bemused even to think of action. Besides, his head hurt too bad. And her laughter was making it worse.

"Please," he said, shading his eyes with his hand, "could you keep it down a little, and let me get my medpak? My head feels like it's about to explode." It was a shot in the dark. He was only guessing, from her reaction, that she might speak Basic, but he desperately needed a painkiller.

Immediately, the weapon was lowered on him again, all traces of mirth gone from the woman's face. "Oh sure," she sneered. "And have you whip out a blaster and shoot me? No thanks."

Han shook his head, then regretted it. "No, I swear to you. No tricks. We're diplomats. We're not carrying any weapons."

The woman appeared to consider, then grudgingly conceded. "Okay. I guess you do look pretty sick. But wait till I get where I can see your hands." Han watched the blaster as she walked around the speeder's nose and came up close on his side. It remained aimed at his head the whole time, never wavering. He did not doubt her ability to use it. "Right," she said finally. "Get your medpak. Slowly. And no wrong moves."

Trying anything couldn't have been further from Han's mind as he opened a small compartment below the instrument panel and took out the medpak. He searched through it quickly, then grunted in frustration. All the labels were in Baran, and he didn't recognize any of the packaging. If he guessed wrong, he could get a sleeping draught, or shoot himself full of something lethal, like antiseptic. He looked up at the blaster woman. He really was desperate. "Any idea which of these is a painkiller?" he asked.

She glanced quickly at the box. "The long tube," she said shortly. "It's a paradermic. Put it to your neck, press it once. It's in measured doses."

Han took a deep breath. If she'd steered him wrong, he could be signing his own death warrant. But he didn't have much choice, and somehow he trusted her. Putting the tube to his neck, he pushed the button on the other end. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the pain began to lift. He gave a sigh of relief, and replaced the medpak in its compartment. "Thanks," he told her, and it was heartfelt.

The woman shrugged. "Couldn't get any answers out of you dead, could I? And I want to know what you're doing here, speaking Basic. . . and no Baran." So letting him use the medpak had been a test. She was smart; whoever she was, Han had to give her that.

"I told you," he replied. "We're diplomats. Ambassadors from the New Republic - "

"New Republic?" she cut him off. "What the Stang's that? Some kind of business cartel?"

"No. The New Republic of Allied Planets. It's the galaxy's ruling body now." He couldn't believe, even living out here, that she hadn't heard that. But it seemed she hadn't.

"Galaxy's ruling body?" she echoed. "What happened to the Empire?" Then realization began to dawn. "You mean... you guys are Rebels? The Rebellion finally overthrew the Empire?" She was incredulous.

"That's right," Han nodded, feeling even now justifiably proud of the fact. "Almost five Standard years ago now. The Emperor's dead, Darth Vader too, the Moffs. . . all dead or locked up."

The woman shook her head. "Oh, boy. . . . Have I ever been on this hellhole too long."

"So you're not Baran!" Han realized. "That explains a lot of things."

Her guard slammed down again, as impregnable as a blast door. "No, I'm not. But I'd like to know what the Rebellion, which always had such high ideals, is doing cuddling up to a world like Baros. You guys must really be desperate."

Leia stirred, moaned. Forgetting all about the blaster trained on him, Han turned to her. Concerned, he touched her cheek, spoke her name gently. Leia went to reach for him, but stopped abruptly, her forehead wrinkling in pain and a soft grunt breaking from her lips. "Take it easy, sweetheart," he said softly. "What's wrong?"

"My. . . shoulder," she murmured. "The right one." Han looked at it, but couldn't see anything obviously wrong. Slowly, carefully, Leia opened her eyes. Han caught her gaze, and for a moment they stared deeply into one another's eyes, each immeasurably glad that the other had survived and was at least in one piece. Leia gave a weak smile. "I don't think it's broken, but - it hurts. Is there a medpak?"

"Sure. I'll - " Mention of the medpak reminded Han of the blaster woman. A glance upward revealed her standing now on Leia's side of the vehicle. The gun was still aimed at Han. He was getting a little tired of it, to tell the truth. She motioned him toward the medpak, without speaking. Leia had closed her eyes again, resting. She hadn't noticed the woman yet.

Again, Han took out the small case, searched through it once more. "There should be some sort of scanner," he murmured, "something to tell me if it's broken or not."

"It's the small flat square thing."

Leia's eyes flew open at the unfamiliar voice. She took in the woman with one glance, then turned to look at Han. "Who's your friend?" she asked.

"We haven't been formally introduced yet," he replied dryly. Examining the small contraption from the medpak, he looked up at the woman again. "How do I use this thing?"

"Press the stud on the side to open it, then hit the blue button. Pass it over her shoulder, and if the screen there flashes red, there's a break."

Han did as she directed him, and was relieved to see the screen flash green. "You're okay," he told Leia, who smiled in relief. "But we'll need to make a sling for you."

He looked around the wrecked speeder, at their clothes, but saw nothing that could be easily detached, or that was long enough to make a sling. Catching a movement out of the corner of his eye, he looked up at the woman. She had holstered her blaster and was untying a scarf she wore around her neck.

"Here," she said, offering it to him. "I'm afraid it's none too clean, but it should be long enough."

"Thanks." Han took it and, as gently as he could, managed to contrive a sling for Leia's arm. He wondered, as he did so, about this strange woman. He didn't know who she was, where she came from, why she was here, and most of all, why she kept threatening to kill him and yet doing them all these favours.

He gave Leia a shot of the painkiller, replaced the medpak again, and then looked back up at the woman. She held all the best cards. It was her call.

The woman looked from him to Leia. He suddenly noticed that she hadn't redrawn her blaster. That had to be a good sign.

"Well, now," she said to Leia. "Why don't you tell me who you two are, and why you're here?"

"But I already - " Han began. She cut him off. "I'd like to hear it from the lady, if you don't mind," she told him emphatically. Han didn't dispute further, just sat back while Leia reiterated all he'd said, offering their names, in addition.

"Leia Organa," she mused. "I remember hearing about you. You were from Alderaan, right?" Leia nodded, mutely. "I remember hearing about what happened there too, not long before I ended up here. I'm sorry."

Leia smiled weakly. "Thank you."

The woman tapped her chin, thoughtfully. "And Han Solo. . . that rings a bell too, but not. . . wait a second! Didn't you used to work for Jabba the Hutt?"

Han sighed. It seemed that bucket of lard would haunt him all his life. "Once in a while," he conceded.

"That's right," she continued. "And I seem to remember you were in a little trouble, too. Jabba wasn't the best guy to get on the wrong side of."

"You can say that again," Han agreed, then was struck by a sudden realization. "So you were a smuggler too!" he exclaimed, immediately regretting it as he saw her expression harden again. "That's right," she snapped. "But now I'm stuck here. And," she continued thoughtfully, "since you two seem to be pretty important to the government here, you could well be my ticket offplanet. Come on, get out of the speeder."

"Wait!" Leia protested. "I - "

"Forget it, honey." The blaster was out again. "Sooner or later, they're gonna come looking for you two, and this wreck is just too easy to find. Come on, get your medpak, and let's go."

Luckily - and amazingly - the door on Leia's side of the speeder was still working, so they didn't have to climb out over the nose. Once they were on the ground, the woman gestured into the forest, and they began walking, knowing neither where they were going, or what their fate was to be. Being alive and in one piece seemed a small mercy, now.

* * *

See Threepio was becoming worried. According to his chronometer, Han and Leia should have returned at least an hour ago. He hoped it was not going to be another adventure. He felt his companions had been in enough dangerous situations already to fill several human lifetimes. They had, in fact, had more adventures, since Threepio had met them, than he had had oil baths. And having the perfect memory of a droid, he could say that with absolute truth. The odds of surviving so many consecutive perils were becoming astronomical. Even factoring in their obvious resourcefulness, and that unknown factor they seemed to possess - luck, fate, the Force, however organic beings might define it - it seemed extremely likely that eventually they would sustain some permanent damage, if not enough to shut them down forever.

"Oh dear, oh dear," Threepio muttered to himself, consulting the central computer through the comm system. The computer was able to tell him that Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo had taken a speeder out at approximately 11:00 hours, but the speeder was not equipped with comm apparatus, and they had not returned it yet, despite giving a return ETA of around 13:50 hours.

"Oh dear," Threepio repeated. By his calculations, Mistress Leia and Master Han were long enough overdue for there to be legitimate cause for concern. Yet he did not wish to raise an alarm just yet. There may be some simple reason for the delay - his companions may have merely extended their tour - Baros was considered an exceptionally beautiful planet, after all. No, he must wait a few hours longer. Surely they would return for dinner. A quick calculation showed his companions' average time for taking dinner at 17:32 hours. He would wait till then, or a little longer just to be sure.

But he was becoming very concerned. "Oh dear!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "Nobody considers a droid's feelings in these situations!"

* * *

They had been walking through the forest for several hours, still completely ignorant of where they were going, why, or who their captor was, when Leia seemed to stumble, then eased herself to the ground, resting her back against a tree and cradling her injured arm.

"I'm sorry," she said in a monotone. "I'm exhausted. I'm hungry - neither of us has had anything to eat since breakfast. My arm's starting to hurt again, and I'm not walking any more. Shoot me if you want, but I'm not getting up."

Han looked from Leia to the other woman, with no idea of how she'd react. She merely shrugged and sat down, facing Leia. Han sat also, wondering what the woman would do next, whether she could surprise him any more. She holstered her blaster and removed the pack from her back. She then took out several packages and small boxes, a plastic mug, and finally a squat metal cylinder. She twisted a disc on the bottom of the latter and a small tap clicked out from its side. Holding the cup underneath it, she pressed a stud and liquid poured into the cup. She offered it to Leia. "Hot tea," she said quietly. "It might make you feel better. There's only one cup, though, so we'll have to share." Putting the cylinder on the ground, she began opening the boxes, displaying bread, vegetables, cheese; simple food, but welcome. Han's stomach growled, and she didn't have to offer it to him twice.

Leia sipped the tea, feeling herself relax perceptibly as she inhaled the fragrant steam. She began wondering about this contradictory woman, and found her mind drifting through the events since she'd found them, pondering her motivations. Almost without realizing it, she reached out through the Force and contacted the other woman's mind. She sensed. . . not hostility, actually, but wariness. And not exactly of them, either. The woman didn't seem quite sure of what she was doing. Maybe she was as confused as she and Han were by this strange turn of events. . . or fate? Or the Force? That was good, though, because it gave Leia a chance to win her over, convince her that the diplomatic approach could work. But there was something else, beneath the confusion. . . desperation. Leia understood it. Stranded on Baros for as long as this woman had been, she'd feel desperate too. But it was a bad sign. As she pondered that, the woman's sense abruptly changed. All her attention surged toward Leia herself. At the same time, she heard the woman speak her name, and she jumped.

"Drink the tea while it's still warm," she was told. "And eat something. We've still got a way to go."

Recalled to herself, Leia sipped her tea again. It was lukewarm now. She wondered just how long she'd been swimming in the other's mind.

Han looked at her, concerned. "Are you okay? You looked light years away." She smiled back at him. "I'm fine," she reassured him. "Just tired, I guess." Draining the rest of the tea, she passed the cup back to the woman, almost shy of her now, too timid to meet her eyes now she'd seen so deeply into her. I wonder how Luke copes, doing this every day, she wondered. She took some food, to cover her embarrassment.

Han, however, didn't have the same preoccupations Leia had, and had picked up on something she hadn't. "You said we still had a way to go," he said, accepting a mug of tea. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"Camp," the woman stated baldly. Han looked wry. "Thanks," he replied, not sounding too grateful. He looked at Leia, but her attention was fixed on the woman. "Would you answer one question for me?" she asked.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Depends on the question."

Han expected Leia to ask why they were prisoners, what the woman's purpose was. Instead, she asked quietly, "Would you tell me your name?"

The woman stared at her, looking reluctant. Then she shrugged. "I guess you'll hear when we get to camp anyway. It's Najine." She looked at each of them in turn.

Han racked his brain, searching his old smuggling contacts, and their contacts, but couldn't remember hearing about her before. He shook his head. "How long before we reach the camp?" he asked her.

"Before dark," was all she told him, but it was enough. At least they'd spend the night under cover. Abruptly, Najine seemed to decide she'd answered enough questions. She repacked her bag while Han gave Leia another shot of the painkiller, then stood up, shouldering her pack and suddenly becoming all business again. The blaster was back out, of course.

"Right, come on," she commanded. "Move out."

Wearily, they complied. "You'd make a great general," Han told her, but got nothing but a withering look for his pains.

* * *

Pera Hezzel checked the chrono. If her husband was as punctual as usual, he was due home in four minutes. She plumped the cushions in his favourite chair, then crossed to the kitchen to check that dinner was on schedule. Though the droid would organize most of it, Per liked her to oversee the details personally, and, of course, serve it to him herself. Per was a creature of habit. She knew that, as soon as he arrived home, he would want a drink and maybe a half-hour's conversation, in which he would tell her about work, the problems he faced as chief controller of such a thriving world, and then he would want dinner. After dinner, he would watch the news on the holo, maybe a vid, or listen to music, or sometimes read, activities Pera would usually join him in, while ensuring that he had all he required for his comfort.

Pera took a bottle of wine from the refrigeration unit and smiled as she heard Per enter the apartment. She was reassured by his punctuality, found it comforting to have a husband who was so reliable.

He was already seated in his chair when she entered the living room and handed him a glass of wine. "How was your day, dear?" she asked, noticing slight lines of worry on his face.

"Difficult," Per told her. "We reviewed the recording of your meeting with the Ambassador. Frankly, the woman worries me."

"She did ask some strange questions," Pera said cautiously.

"Strange, and awkward," her husband agreed. "I noticed you and your friends had trouble answering some of them."

"Well, she seemed to have trouble understanding us," Pera essayed. "How can she understand marriage, when she is not married herself?"

Per drained his glass, and offered it to his wife, who quickly refilled it for him. "She seemed rather to be obsessed with the question of non-marriage," Per suggested. "I thought you explained the Unsuitability situation rather well, by the way, my dear. I see I chose an intelligent wife." Pera positively glowed with pride at the praise.

"Still," Per continued, tapping his glass thoughtfully against his chin, "I would be interested in your opinion of her suggestion, that women might have a free choice of marriage."

Pera felt suddenly flustered. "I. . . I've never thought about it," she stammered. "I don't think I would know how to choose a husband. . . I don't see what the purpose of such a choice would be."

"So. . . hypothetically, if you did have such a choice," Per speculated, "would you choose to exercise it?"

Pera's eyes widened. What should she say? Did he want her to refuse the right to choose, or to choose him, or to consider whether such a choice should be offered to women in general? She felt lost, as panicked as when the Ambassador had questioned them on the same subject. But she could not ignore her husband's question, or tell him not to ask it. And she didn't know the right answer.

"I. . . I don't know," she murmured, not looking at him. Per inhaled sharply, and she winced, but was spared his wrath by the buzz of the comm system.

She rose to answer it, and the impassive face of the ambassador's translator droid appeared on the screen. His voice was anything but impassive, however.

"Madam Hezzel," Threepio began worriedly, "I apologize for disturbing you at home, but I urgently need to speak to the chief controller."

"That's impossible," Pera told him. "The chief controller's standing orders state that he should never be disturbed at home, unless in cases of world emergency."

"I'm afraid this is such an emergency, Madam," Threepio insisted.

"What is it, Pera?" her husband demanded impatiently.

"It's the ambassador's translator," she replied timidly. "He says it's a world emergency."

Hezzel grunted and crossed to the comm system, elbowing his wife out of the way. "What is it?" he growled, not at all pleased at having his evening interrupted.

"Chief Controller, sir, I do apologize for disturbing you at home, but I am very concerned for the safety of Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo. They left this lunchtime in a speeder to go sightseeing, but they have not returned and I believe they may have met with some kind of accident."

Hezzel stared at the screen dumbfounded, unable to take the news in.

"Sir?" Threepio asked, when it seemed Hezzel was not going to reply. The chief controller took several gasping breaths, fighting to keep his panic under control. "Did you say. . ." he asked finally, "that the ambassador and the captain have. . . disappeared?"

"It appears that way, sir," Threepio agreed cautiously. "I thought you should be informed of the situation. I believe that enough time has passed for there to be cause for concern." There was still no response from Hezzel. "Do you wish me to do anything, sir?" Threepio asked tentatively. "Contact the New Republic, perhaps. . .?"

"No!" Hezzel replied emphatically. That was the last thing he wanted at the moment. "No, no sense in worrying them yet. We'll begin searching for them immediately. Thank you for the information." Abruptly, he switched off.

Pera was staring at him, looking worried. "Don't gape, woman!" he told her irritably. "This is all I need. We're on the verge of the greatest moment in Baran history, and that damned ambassador goes and gets herself lost! I knew the moment they said they were sending a woman there would be trouble. They'd just better be alive when we find them!"

* * *

Threepio turned away from the blank comm screen, his worries increased, rather than allayed, by his conversation with the chief controller. "I'm sure Mistress Leia and Master Han are all right," he told himself. "Master Luke would never forgive me if they came to harm. Oh dear. I do hope the chief controller will be able to find them." He sat down, worries sparking throughout his electronic brain, rushing on to thousands of horrible consequences, till he could stand no more. In self-preservation, he shut himself down for the night.

* * *

Dusk was falling by the time Najine softly called for them to stop. Opening a pocket on her gun belt, she took out what looked like a small, roughly-carved whistle. Raising it to her lips, she blew three soft, hooting blasts, which were answered a moment later by two similar sounds from somewhere through the trees. "O-kay," she murmured, apparently satisfied by the response. Replacing the whistle in her belt, she motioned them on.

Leia peered through the trees but could see no sign of a camp. Han was looking around for the guard who'd blown the answering whistle, but he couldn't spot anything either. It was only moments, however, before they came to the lip of a wide crater. Najine motioned them down into crater which, apart from a covering of the unique white Baran grass and several clumps of trees around the edge, seemed completely empty. Could they live underground? Leia wondered, but then had to turn all her attention to negotiating the slippery slope, made doubly difficult with only one arm for balance. Han took her other arm and helped her down the incline. Najine, obviously, was used to the journey and seemed to have no problem keeping her balance.

Before long, the crater's secret became clear. At the edge, nestled among a clump of the white-leaved trees, and partly hidden by the overhang in the crater wall, sat a huddle of small huts, made from the almost pure white wood of the trees, and perfectly camouflaged by them.

"I'm impressed," Han murmured. "I bet you could fly right over this place and never see it."

"You probably did," Najine returned dryly.

Leia looked around, trying to take in everything with one glance. There were eight of the huts, which looked surprisingly well-built and strong, if basic. A plume of smoke was rising from a makeshift chimney in one of them, small enough to be unnoticeable from any distance. Several women were moving around the clearing, intent on various tasks. They were all young, none of them much older than Leia herself, she guessed; no older women, no children, and no men, though, of course, this being Baros, she supposed she should have expected that.

A woman exited the nearest hut and, looking around, caught sight of them. "Najine!" she exclaimed, attracting others' attention too, and Leia and Han found themselves the subject of several interested gazes. "Catawa?" the woman demanded, launching into a long stream of questions incomprehensible to Han and Leia. Najine's answer was equally incomprehensible, though Leia managed to catch their names, and the word "shembrilo", which by now she knew meant ambassador. Han, meanwhile, had noticed that all these women wore weapons also, and wondered momentarily where they had all come from. Then he remembered his own stashed arsenal on board the Falcon, unfortunately many light years from here. Doubtless Najine had had something similar.

As Najine finished her explanation, others among the women began asking questions. Leia wished momentarily for Threepio. Najine was too busy listening to translate, and probably wouldn't have bothered anyway. But she hated not knowing what was going on.

Najine held up a hand against the stream of questions. "Chi lami tera tawala metina," she told them. "Tisilo meta. Shawoli so." She turned to Leia and Han. "Come on," she told them, offering no further explanation, and led them to the hut with the smoke, which turned out to be a combination kitchen and dining room, probably serving the entire community. Leia had counted twelve women so far, including Najine, but had no idea how many more might be standing guard in the forest, or out on whatever errand Najine had been on when she found them.

Najine motioned them to sit at the table, then served them with bowls of what seemed to be vegetable stew from a large pot over the fire. Finally, she filled a bowl for herself, and sat down with them.

A thousand questions came to Leia's mind, but she asked the most obvious, and pressing, one. "What was all that about, outside?"

"They say you're lying," Najine told her, impassive as ever. "They say a female ambassador to Baros is an impossibility."

Leia smiled wryly. "That's what the controllers thought too, to begin with."

"But you believe us!" Han cut in. "Can't you convince them?"

Najine raised an eyebrow at him. "You'd better hope I can," she said. "Because if you're just businesspeople, what's the point in keeping you alive?"

The stew suddenly felt dry in Han's mouth. He swallowed hard. Leia, however, seemed unperturbed. "Let me talk to them," she asked. "If you let us go, I can put your case to the chief controller, negotiate you a way offplanet."

"Me, maybe," Najine conceded. "But the others are all Baran. There is no way off for them."

"There could be," Leia insisted. "I know Hezzel wants to deal. But I have to get back to the city - "

"Enough," Najine interrupted. "Shut up and eat. And try to remember you're a prisoner here. We do things my way. Or not at all."

They finished their meal in silence, then Najine stood up. "Stay here," she told them firmly. "I won't be long." She left the hut.

Han looked at Leia, opened his mouth to speak. She shook her head, frowning. Once Han got started, it was likely to be a long discussion, and she didn't want to start talking until she could be reasonably sure they wouldn't be interrupted.

Najine returned moments later and escorted them to another hut on the opposite side of the clearing. It was sparsely furnished, with two narrow wooden bunks covered with blankets, a small table and a stool. The only light was from a small battery lamp on the table.

"You'll sleep here tonight," she told them. "The door will be barred, and there'll be a guard in the clearing, so don't get any bright ideas." Then, she was gone.

Finally, Han thought. He turned to Leia, making an I-give-up gesture. She smiled. "Feels good not to have a blaster pointed at your head for a change, huh?"

Han shrugged helplessly again. "Okay, level with me. You're the diplomat. You have any idea why we're here? What she plans to do with us?"

Leia stretched out on one of the bunks, far too nonchalantly for Han's liking. Maybe there was a little too much euphoric in that painkiller, he thought. "I don't think she knows herself," Leia replied, smiling at Han's incredulity. "No - don't laugh at me. But back in the forest, when we stopped to eat, I somehow managed to. . . to sense her feelings, through the Force. She was very confused."

"Oh great." Han sat down and put his head in his hands. "We get kidnapped by some crazy ex-smuggler, and then you start turning into a Jedi knight. Just great." Maybe he was right about the painkiller.

"Oh, come on, Han," Leia argued. "You've seen enough of the Force by now to know that it's real. And you haven't even heard what I found out."

He looked at her. "Did you find out what she's planning to do?" he asked with exaggerated patience.

"Well, no." There was that helpless gesture again. "But I do know that she's as confused as we are about all of this," Leia insisted. "She obviously hopes she can use us somehow to get off Baros, but if I can convince her that I've got a chance of changing things here, diplomatically, maybe I can convince her to let us go."

"That's a big if and a big maybe," Han commented. "And it's not just her needs to be convinced."

"I know," Leia told him. "But I have to try." Her gaze was intense, with the same earnestness Han had seen on Luke's face many times, usually meaning trouble. He shook his head. Things were going from bad to worse. A crazy smuggler, Leia gone crazy thinking she's a Jedi knight. . . and not even a good blaster at his side. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this one," he murmured.

"Just relax," Leia told him. "Get some sleep. We're not in any danger." _Yet_, she added to herself. For there was still Najine's sense of desperation, probably shared by the other members of her group. She hadn't mentioned it to Han, he had enough to deal with. But it worried her, all the same. Given time, she was sure she could make Najine see things her way. Trouble was, desperation didn't usually make for taking things slowly.

* * *

Najine re-entered the kitchen hut in the middle of a heated discussion involving all the camp women, with the single exception of the duty guards. Her prisoners had certainly caused a stir, she reflected. She crossed the room to get herself a mug of tea, but as soon as the women noticed her they all fell silent and turned to watch her expectantly. Najine took a seat at the table and waited for the flood of questions.

Tania spoke up first. She was among the oldest of the women, and had been with Najine from the beginning, when they first fled the city. Some of the others tended to be somewhat in awe of Najine, since she was an offworlder, had done things they could barely imagine, and was their natural leader. But not Tania. "So," she began. "What's the story, Najine?"

Najine shrugged. "Just like I told you before. The woman's an ambassador. The man - I'm pretty sure he's her lover, and, I guess, this being Baros, he's also a kind of bodyguard. They're from the New Republic, the galaxy's ruling body - "

"Wait." Tania held up her hand. "I've heard you talk about the Empire, but not any 'New Republic'." She said the Basic words carefully. There was no Baran translation for "Republic". "What is it?"

"You've heard me talk about the Rebellion," Najine said, to answering nods from around the table. "The Rebellion overthrew the Empire, and set up the New Republic. Five years. . . that's about three and a half Baran years ago."

"But a woman ambassador!" exclaimed one of the women. "It's impossible!" There were murmurs of agreement from around the table. The very word "shembrilo" assumed a male gender, and they, in common with all Barans, could not conceive of a woman filling such a role.

Najine shook her head. "It's not impossible. On Baros, maybe, but not outside. The Rebellion always prided itself on having such high ideals. Sending a woman ambassador to a place like Baros is exactly what I'd expect them to do."

"But how do we know their story's even true?" Jess demanded. She was one of the younger women, had not been with the group long, and was extremely suspicious, a trait shared, perhaps not surprisingly, by many Baran women. It was a part of their character that drove Najine crazy at times, but one she had to take seriously.

"Well, they're definitely not Baran," she replied calmly. "I know they're from offworld, because I've heard of them both before. Solo used to be a smuggler too, and he volunteered that before he knew my history. Leia used to be a rebel senator, so she's in a position to be in the government now. Plus, I got the story from each of them separately - Leia was still unconscious while Solo told me, and she told me the same thing."

Jess shrugged. "She could have been pretending."

Najine returned the shrug. "It's possible, but unlikely. She was in a lot of pain when she woke up."

Tania held up her hand again, feeling the discussion was going nowhere. "Okay, so let's say we accept the story. For the moment," she added, eyeing Jess and several others who seemed still unwilling to be convinced. "Why did you bring them here?"

"Because they could be our ticket offplanet!" Najine exclaimed. "Isn't that obvious?"

"Explain," Charen asked. The other member of the original group of city escapees, she had kept silent so far. Somewhat withdrawn and thoughtful, she tended not to speak out until she had heard and digested all sides of an argument. Najine considered her invaluable when there were decisions to be made, so attempted to set out her thoughts as clearly as possible. "Right," she began, checking off her points on her fingers. "Point one: the controllers want to get Baros into the New Republic. So the New Republic has sent an ambassador to negotiate. The controllers must want to get in pretty bad, because they've accepted a woman ambassador. Point two: we have the ambassador. Point three: the controllers will want the ambassador back. Point four: We can name our price." She sat back, and looked around. There were still several sceptical faces around the table, but some were mixed with hope, and some looked downright excited.

Charen smiled, slowly. "How?" she asked.

Najine faltered. She hadn't really thought this far yet, to be truthful. She'd thought the women would have been more difficult to convince of Leia and Han's identity. Looking around the table, however, she saw that not all of them were convinced... though all wanted to hear her plan, how she wanted to proceed.

Tania saved her. "Well, obviously we need to make a ransom demand," she said.

Jess hooted with laughter. "And just how do you intend to do that? You think you can just walk into the city, demand to see the chief controller, and say, 'Hey, friend, we've got your ambassador. D'you want her?' Still, I wouldn't worry about it too much, because I think he's just gonna say 'What ambassador?' anyway."

"Shut up, Jess," Charen said scornfully. Several of the women leaped to Jess's defence, and through the argument Najine didn't hear the suggestion made by Torril, sitting across the table from her. Tania did, though, and called for quiet, banging on the table. Once reasonable peace was restored, Torril repeated her suggestion. "We could use the transmitter."

Amina, one of Jess's supporters, laughed derisively. "That old relic hasn't worked for years!"

"No, she's right!" Najine exclaimed, ignoring Jess and others' murmurs of disbelief. "We can get Solo to try and fix it. He's supposed to be some kind of mechanical wizard."

"You think he's going to fix the transmitter so we can make a ransom demand for him?" Jess asked incredulously.

"You think he's gonna refuse with a blaster in his neck?" Najine demanded, and the woman subsided, for the moment, at least.

"It's worth a try," Charen put in, to Najine's relief. "But," she added, and Najine's heart sank. Another problem. . . . "Won't they be able to trace our position from the transmission? If they find out where we are, they'll just come and wipe us out."

Najine considered. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "The machine's too old to have a homing signal built in to it. All they could likely get is an idea of the direction, not distance. And if we only make a short call, and give them a specific frequency to call us back on, they can't get any fix at all from that."

Charen nodded, satisfied. "Hang on," Jess put in. "Don't you think we're moving too fast here? We haven't even decided if we believe the original story yet."

"I wouldn't panic, Jess," Charen said quickly, seeing Najine's irritation with the young woman coming to a boil. "We've got to see if the transmitter can even be fixed yet. How about," she turned to Najine, "if we all talk to this ambassador? You can translate, and we can all hear the story for ourselves."

"Sure," Najine agreed, with a shrug. "I don't see that being a problem." Well, at least Leia was going to get her wish, she reflected, though she could see that in itself being a problem.

Charen looked around the table. Even Jess seemed satisfied, for now, anyway. The meeting began to break up. Najine checked with the guard, who confirmed that all had been quiet from Han and Leia's hut. Wearily, she went off to bed, wondering, not for the first time, if she'd made the right decision in investigating the crashed speeder and waiting for its occupants to wake up. She'd expected some rich Baran couple who'd pay dearly for a guide back to the city, hoped they'd be rich enough to finance the repair of her ship. If that had been the case, she'd even have been willing to try and smuggle some of the other women offplanet with her. Instead, she'd gotten diplomats! She shared the usual smuggler's distrust of diplomats, but her dread of spending the rest of her life living in the wilderness on Baros made her desperate, and she was willing to try anything to get away. Problem was, the whole thing was getting more complicated by the minute. It was years since she'd had to plan anything more complex than basic security for the camp, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. Frustrated, and scared, she banged her head on her pillow. _We can handle it_, she told herself. _We have to. . . ._

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Han awoke feeling groggy, thinking at first that the banging was coming from inside his head again. Momentarily, however, it resolved into knocking on the door. "Okay!" he yelled, struggling into a sitting position, finding he was still stiff from the crash. "Who is it?"

"Najine," came the reply. "You want some breakfast?" Han replied with an enthusiastic affirmative, and she called back, "I'll come get you in a couple of minutes, okay?"

Han set to work to wake Leia, and they were ready and waiting when Najine returned to unbar the door. She escorted them to the kitchen hut, which was again empty, although on the way they found themselves the subject of as much interest as they had been the night before.

Najine left them alone, to enjoy a breakfast of fresh bread, a nut butter, and a sweet spread made from some exotic Baran white berry, which was delicious, if a little strange in appearance.

Leia was sipping slowly from a mug of the uniquely relaxing tea they seemed to have unlimited quantities of, when Najine returned, this time bringing with her two of the women, one of them carrying some briefcase-sized piece of antiquated technology. She set it down gently on the table, but even so, it rattled.

"What's that?" Han grinned. "A new oven?"

Najine didn't smile. "It's a transmitter," she told him. "We want you to fix it."

"You've gotta be kidding!" Leia sputtered, nearly choking on her tea. "It looks ancient, older than anything I've ever seen outside of a museum."

"It's not that bad," Najine countered. She looked at Han. "I'd heard you were some kind of mechanical genius, especially for renovating old stuff." Leia sniggered. "That'd be right," she murmured. Han looked hurt, but Najine ignored them both. "Anyway, we've got parts, stuff we've salvaged. You think you can do anything with it?"

Han stood up. peered under the edge of the console. "Hard to say," he shrugged. "Looks like something even Jawas'd melt down, but. . . still got a few clean components there, and a lot of this stuff can be bypassed. . . . Whoa! Hold on a second." He straightened up. "Mind telling me what you plan to use this for?"

Najine met his eyes, her gaze hard as stone. Her hand rested on her blaster. "What use are you if we can't tell anyone we've got you?" she asked evenly.

"Now just hold on there, sister - "

"Han. . . ." He turned to see Leia looking a warning at him.

"What?!" he exclaimed. "You expect me to fix this thing so she can ransom us?"

"Just do what she asks, Han," she told him quietly. "After all, I don't think we have much choice, do we?"

Han sighed, shaking his head. He couldn't believe Leia was giving in so easy. . . . He just hoped it meant she had something good up her sleeve, that was all. "Okay," he murmured, in a tone that suggested he was anything but happy about the situation. "I'll need to see those parts you've got, though. And it's not going to be a short job."

Najine nodded, said something to the two women, then turned back to Han. "They'll show you where the spares are," she said. "And they'll stay to guard you, too, so don't try anything."

"Take it easy, Han," Leia added. He rolled his eyes at her, and followed the two women, and the sad excuse for a transmitter, out.

Najine sat down at the table, opposite Leia. "So you decided to play it my way, huh?"

Leia pushed loose tendrils of hair behind her ears. "Like I said, we don't have much option. I still think you're making a mistake, though."

Najine stared at her. "How long have you been on Baros?"

Leia counted up. "Six days, today."

"Well, I've been here over five years," Najine told her. "That's Baran years, so don't tell me I'm making a mistake."

"How did it happen?" Leia asked. "How did you come to be living out here, in the forest?"

"It's a long story, and it's not important. What is important is that I'd just about given up hope of ever getting out of this white hell. You and Solo are just too good a chance to pass up."

Leia pushed her hair behind her ears again. When they'd set out yesterday, it had been a neat twisted bun on the back of her head. The crash, and sleeping on it last night, however, had managed to turn it into an unrecognisable mess. As Najine went for more tea, she attempted to disentangle it, but only having one arm to work with, and being unable to see what she was doing, made it an impossible job. Najine eyed her with amusement. "You need some help with that?"

Leia looked up at her. "I need something," she said wryly.

Najine almost smiled. "Come outside where the light's better," she offered. "I'll see what I can do."

Though the morning air was cool and fresh, the sun was warm, and Leia leaned back in her chair, basking, as Najine went in search of a brush and something to tie her hair with. She felt far too peaceful to really feel like a prisoner, and wondered for a second whether there was something in the tea. She dismissed the thought, however: Najine had been drinking plenty of it, and it didn't seem to have affected her much. Or Han, for that matter.

She heard footsteps, and looked up to see Najine approaching, hairbrush in hand. She smiled. "Thanks, Najine. I really appreciate this."

Najine merely shrugged. "No big deal. I wouldn't be doing it if you could do it for yourself." She began carefully disentangling Leia's hair, picking out pin after pin, and then, as soon as she thought she'd found them all, picking out some more. Leia leaned back and relaxed, feeling her mind drift with the steady rhythm of Najine's brushstrokes. "I hate it when my hair's a mess," she murmured. "Makes me feel out of control too."

"You must feel out of control a lot then," Najine commented dryly, "with this much hair to keep organized."

Leia smiled. "You sound like my brother."

"What, he says you have too much hair?"

"No, he's always telling me I should be more controlled. Says I make too much noise."

"What does he think you are, a three-year-old?" Najine asked.

Leia laughed. "No, he means in the Force. He's a Jedi knight."

She felt Najine start. "What?" she exclaimed. "How old is he?"

Leia looked back at Najine over her shoulder. "My age," she said. "We're twins. Why?"

Najine shrugged. "I thought Jedi knights were all old. . . or dead. How'd your brother get to be one?"

"The New Republic intends to restore the order," Leia told her. "Our father. . . was a Jedi. Luke was trained by an old Jedi master, who's dead now."

Najine whistled. "So can you use the Force too?"

Leia shifted in her seat. "Not really," she hedged. "Not yet. I'd like to learn, though. . . when I have time."

"Shame," Najine mumbled. "If only half of what I've heard about

the Jedi is true, you could have gotten us off this planet no problem."

Leia took a deep breath. "How did you end up here, Najine?"

Najine flung a section of Leia's hair forward over her shoulder. "I guess you're not gonna stop asking that until I give you an answer, are you?"

"No."

She sighed. "Well, it's no big deal, you know. I kind of crashed here. . . well, not exactly crashed, but didn't exactly land soft, either. My hyperdrive was blown, I had no cargo, no cash. . . . I tried to get a job, make some money to fix my ship. They told me I could work all right, but I couldn't keep the money I earned because I wasn't registered Unsuitable. I said, okay, make me Unsuitable. I guess you know about all those rules. Anyway, I ended up in this hostel, with all these other unmarried women who didn't have fathers to give their salaries to, or who were trying to be Unsuitable and had been disowned by their families. It was either run away, or wait around for some creep to propose to me. So I ran away, took a couple of the others with me, we wound up here. We keep a lookout for any other women running away from the city. . . that's how I found you." She sighed again. "So now you know it all. Boring story, huh?"

"No," Leia told her. "Just another thing for me to work on getting changed."

Najine shook her head. "You've been here six days and you still think you can talk the controllers into changing? You've gotta be crazy. I heard Jedi knights were nuts. It must extend to their families too."

Leia smiled tensely. "That's a popular opinion."

Najine hooked the hairbrush into her belt and began braiding Leia's hair down her back. "Still," she continued, "I reckon you've gotta be crazy to come to Baros in the first place, so I guess just how crazy you are doesn't make much difference." She tied off the braid with a leather strip. "Now, I've got things to do. You can stay here; there's enough people around to notice if you tried something stupid." She began to walk away, then turned. "By the way," she added, "the women want to talk to you tonight. Some of them still don't believe you are what you say you are. So you can be thinking about what you're gonna tell them while you sunbathe."

Leia smiled to herself. Things appeared to be going her way again. Perhaps it was the Force. She'd have to warn Han to take his time fixing that antique transmitter, if it even could be fixed. She reckoned she'd need at least a couple of days. . . but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't summon up an ounce of worry. Was this how it felt when the Force was with you? Not long ago, in a situation like this, she'd have been panicking, demanding to be freed, coming up with plan after plan in an effort to escape. . . . But now, at least for the moment, she was willing to sit back, see where events were leading, work with the situation instead of fighting against it. It was different, but it felt good. It felt. . . right.

* * *

Han turned his back on Leia in disgust. There she was, soaking up the sun, looking completely relaxed. . . while here he was, under armed guard, trying to fix up a transmitter that should have been consigned to a junk heap years ago. And the sun hadn't even reached his side of the clearing yet!

Once he'd sorted through all the junk in the shed, and picked out anything that seemed the tiniest bit useful - they didn't even have proper tools, so he was having to improvise everything - he'd convinced the guards to let him work outside, where the light was better. That was when he'd noticed them. Leia, sitting comfortably in her chair, her legs stretched lazily out in front of her. And Najine, her fingers running through Leia's hair, smoothing it back from her forehead, brushing it carefully from roots to ends. That hair. . . he knew it intimately. From the first, he'd been curious about it - how long it really was, how it would look, lying loose down her back, how it would feel under his fingers. It felt like silk. . . no, softer than silk. He knew that now. And even now, every time he saw it, free of pins and ties like that, the sight still transfixed him. It filled him with a sudden, unreasonable and ridiculous jealousy, to see someone else touching Leia's hair. Even though Najine seemed not to be overly impressed by the experience, he had to fight to prevent himself running over there and forbidding her to touch it. And Leia. . . the worst thing was that she seemed to be enjoying it. He couldn't hear their conversation, but could see Leia smiling, see them both talking in a way that didn't suggest prisoner and captor.

That was when he'd turned his back on them, and given his full attention to the transmitter. Levering off the console top from the casing, he managed also to cut through a wire. It was almost the last straw. Wrenching the severed wire from its connector, he flung it into the grass. One of his guards calmly picked it up and placed it in one of the small crates holding the parts. Han gave her a pained look. "We mustn't waste anything, must we?" he growled. "You sure you wouldn't just like me to build you a starship from some trees and the leftovers from breakfast?" The two women merely looked at each other and shrugged, uncomprehending.

Han surveyed the radio's insides with contempt. One simple little chip, that was all it would take, and practically the whole mess would be redundant. But, of course, they didn't have anything like that in the collection of electronic trash they called a storeroom. The thought did cross his mind that he could probably cannibalise something from the airspeeder's controls, but he was damned if he was going to make it easy. Grumbling softly to himself, he began testing the remaining connections.

* * *

Chief Controller Hezzel wasn't in the best of moods either. His cabinet was giving him a hard time. As if it was his fault the damned ambassador had gotten herself lost!

"What did I say?" Silon Wing demanded. "I told you there'd be trouble."

"I didn't exactly hear you predict this, Silon," Hezzel scowled. "And you, Dorran, you didn't even believe she was the real ambassador. But we don't exactly have time to waste on recriminations, do we? We have to decide what we intend to do next. Searches are underway, but if the ambassador should turn up dead, the New Republic will not be kindly disposed to us, will they?"

"They can't blame us if she's gotten herself killed," Veen Jonas protested. "It's their fault for sending a woman to do a man's job."

"Try telling them that," Hezzel snapped. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but we can't afford to get bogged down in discussing the ambassador herself at this stage. The most pressing problem is what to do about what's happened to her."

"We don't exactly know what's happened to her yet, do we?" Morgen Syre asked. "I don't see how it would serve any purpose to inform the New Republic of her disappearance at this stage. Should she be found safe and sound, as I'm sure we all hope, there's no longer a problem, and we would have worried them unduly. I think we should wait, find out what's happened first."

"You have a point," Dorran Brye agreed, keen to draw Hezzel's attention away from his initial mistakes, and get back into his good books. "It wouldn't reflect on us very well if we were to go to them now, with no firm information."

Hezzel considered. "It makes sense," he finally conceded, reflecting that the less the New Republic knew about this debacle, the better. Should the worst come to the worst, the news could be told to them in a way that could minimise diplomatic fallout, and reflect as little responsibility on Baros as possible. "We wait, then," he told the cabinet. "Nothing on the news, no communication with Coruscant, until we have firm information. That should ensure we see as little trouble as possible from this awkward situation." _And just hope the bloody woman is still alive somewhere_, he added to himself.

* * *

Han's temper hadn't improved by the time Najine delivered Leia back to their hut after her discussion with the women. He'd been taken directly from his work on the transmitter to the hut, where they'd at least thought to leave him some food and drink. But even after he'd eaten, he'd had what felt like hours to brood before they finally returned. And Najine had barely left before he turned on Leia with a barrage of questions. "What's going on here?" he demanded. "We get kidnapped, you don't seem the least bit worried about it, you tell me to fix their scummy, ancient, practically clockwork transmitter, I mean, just why is that? Because I'd really like to know! And then I see you cosying up to Najine, she's playing hairdresser for you, and now you're spending hours chit-chatting with them while I'm stuck away here, nobody's interested in telling me what's going on. If you've got a plan, sweetheart, then I'd really appreciate hearing it, because I'd really like to understand just one percent of what's going on around here!"

Unmoved, Leia had sat down on one of the bunks, and was now engaged in untwisting her hair, with her one useful hand, from the long plait Najine had braided it in. As Han's diatribe drew to a close she looked up at him, an expression of infinite patience on her face. "Finished?" she asked quietly.

Han clapped his hands to his face, raked his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "Nowhere near!" he exclaimed. "Not until I get some answers. Like why are you playing along with them, for one thing?"

"Han, I need time," Leia sighed. "That's why I wanted you to work on that transmitter, let them think things are happening. If I'd had a chance to talk to you earlier, I'd have told you that. And I haven't been chatting to the women, I've been trying to convince them that we are who we say we are, and that I have influence with Hezzel, enough influence to be able to do more good for them by talking to him than by just being an object for ransom. And we're not in danger here - "

"That's what you keep telling me," Han retorted. "But it doesn't stop Najine waving that blaster around every time she comes within twenty metres of me. If you ask me, you're being far too relaxed about the whole thing."

Leia leaned forward, intense. "I can't help it, Han," she insisted. "It's the Force." She was suddenly quiet, almost meditative. "I feel the Force. . . more than ever before. . . ."

Han dragged a stool over to the bunk and sat facing her, stared into her eyes. "How?" he asked seriously. "I don't understand the Force, I never have. Stang, it wasn't so long ago I didn't even believe in it. You have to explain to me. . . why is it different? And why is it making you act so weird?"

Leia smiled wryly. "Maybe it just is weird," she said softly. "I've never touched another person's mind like that before, Han. Except for Luke, and for you, sometimes - "

"Wait a second!" He cut her off. "You mean you've been reading my mind too? Since when? Why didn't you tell me?"

Leia shook her head. "No, Han. It doesn't work like that. I can't read your mind, all I can do is touch it. I can. . . sense your emotions, feel what you're feeling. But I can't tell what you're thinking."

He looked at her. "That's bad enough," he murmured. "So. . . what was I feeling?" He prepared to be embarrassed.

Leia actually blushed. "Well. . ." she hesitated, "at the time, love, tenderness. . . desire. . . ."

Han covered his eyes. Now he was blushing. "Great," he grumbled. "You pick your moments, don't you?" Leia removed his hand from his face. She was smiling, gently. Her eyes were soft, gazing warmly into his. "Don't be embarrassed," she whispered. "It was beautiful."

The feelings she'd just described returned in a rush as he drew her into his arms. Their lips met, and he realized he was glad she knew his feelings. Often, he couldn't express how much he felt for her in words, and it had worried him, he'd thought she might think he didn't care enough. It had led to him almost losing her once. . . .

"Do you know?" he whispered against her cheek. "Do you know how much I love you?"

She held him closer. "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Oh, I know. . . ."

They kissed again, a kiss that was deep and intense. For a long moment, they held each other, resting warm in each other's arms.

Then Han drew back slightly. "This is all very nice," he said softly, "but it's not explaining much about the Force to me."

Leia looked up at him, smiling warmly. "You don't give up, do you?" she asked, and was rewarded with his familiar half-grin. "It's me," he said simply. She laughed, shook her head.

"All I know," she told him, "is that, when I touched Najine's mind, I did it without realizing, without even intending to do it. And ever since then. . . well, I've just had this sense that. . . things will happen. That's the only way I can describe it. I feel we can wait it out, go with the flow of events. . . . And even you have to admit there's no sense in us trying to escape from here, with the way things are. We don't even know which way the city is, and these women probably know this forest like the back of their hand."

"I guess you're right, sweetheart," Han sighed. "But patience has never been my strong suit."

Leia couldn't help but laugh. "You don't have to say that twice," she agreed. She picked up the hairbrush Najine had left for her. "Now, how would _you_ like to play hairdresser?"

"With pleasure," Han smiled.

* * *

"So, how are you feeling now?" Najine asked Leia. "How's the arm?" They were alone in the kitchen hut again. Han had gone back to work on the transmitter, and the other women to their various duties.

"It's not too bad," Leia told her. "Another day or so and I think I'll be good as new. I probably just wrenched it. How did the meeting go last night, after I left?"

Najine shrugged. "Actually, better than I expected. You seem to have been pretty convincing."

"They believe I'm really an ambassador, then? Even Jess?"

Najine smiled dryly. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Is she always that bad?" Leia asked.

Najine grimaced. "Usually, she's worse."

Leia raised her eyebrows. "I don't envy you, then, dealing with that all the time. So she didn't believe me?"

"Oh, she believes you're an ambassador," Najine said. "What she doesn't believe is that you're here to improve things for women. She thinks that's just a story you made up to persuade us to let you go."

Leia sighed. "I suppose I should have expected that. Does she believe anybody, about anything?"

"It's not just her," Najine told her. "Most of them are like that, to some extent. Okay, Jess is excessive, but it's there in all of them. And it's not so surprising, when you think of the way they've lived. I saw it, in the hostel. Every time a man came in the place, everybody was watching him, wondering what he wanted, wondering who he'd propose to and why. They lived in a constant state of paranoia, and even I began to catch it, towards the end. That's why I had to get out of there."

"But that's exactly why I came to Baros, to change things like that," Leia argued. "Let me talk to them again, Najine. You know this ransom idea's never going to work. If they believe I can help them politically - "

"Forget it," Najine said shortly. "You're wasting your time if you think you can go over my head and persuade them to let you go. I don't believe you can change things politically, and I'm the easiest to convince."

"At least let me talk to them some more," Leia persisted. "If you're right, you've nothing to lose. At least give me a chance."

Najine turned away. "It's not worth the time it takes. All that translating. It was hard enough learning Baran in the first place. I can't be bothered. And you're the prisoner, remember."

Leia nodded. "And I can't speak to them without your help. But think about it. If things go wrong, if Hezzel finds this place. . . . Would you and these women have a chance against the Baran police force? Hezzel won't pay a ransom without a fight. And if it comes to something like that - "

Najine rounded on her. "Shut up!" she exclaimed. "Now you may be used to being the princess, the senator, the rebel leader, oh, yeah, everybody jumps when you open your mouth. But you're on my territory here, and if I say you don't speak to the women, you don't speak to the women. Got it?"

Leia nodded, sensibly deciding not to push any further. Najine stormed out, leaving her alone.

* * *

"I am See-Threepio, interpreter for the ambassador, and it is imperative that I speak to the chief controller."

"I'm sorry," Hezzel's aide told him. "The chief controller is in a meeting, and, as I'm sure you can appreciate, is extremely busy at the moment. I suggest you call again later."

"But that's what you told me the last two times I called!" Threepio exclaimed. "I have had no communication from your office since you told me yesterday that search teams were out looking for the ambassador's speeder. In the ambassador's absence, I believe I am entitled to be kept informed of the situation - "

"And you will be," the aide cut him off, "when there is something to inform you of. The ambassador has not been found, neither has her speeder, so I suggest you switch off until we contact you." The screen went dead.

If Threepio could have sighed, he would have. These Barans were even ruder than the humans he was used to dealing with. Even Captain Solo in his worst moods had never told him to "switch off"! But they seemed determined to tell him as little as possible about what was happening. It was very frustrating, especially when he was certain Hezzel had no intention of informing anyone on Coruscant of what had happened. If only Master Luke were here, he thought unhappily. He could find Mistress Leia and Master Han easily. If they were hurt somewhere, and waiting for rescue. . . . He put that thought quickly out of his mind, refusing to think of the possibility of losing two of the three humans he would consider his friends, if a droid could be said to have friends. But then, if he lost Mistress Leia and Master Han, he would certainly lose Master Luke, because Master Luke would surely never forgive him for allowing Mistress Leia and Master Han to be lost. And then, knowing how attached Artoo was to Master Luke, Artoo would undoubtedly never speak to him again either.

"Oh, dear," he murmured to himself. "I am surely doomed." But there was nothing he could do about it. Determined to brood no longer, he turned back to the comm screen, calling up the central computer files he had been studying before he tried and failed to contact Hezzel. It had been back at the beginning of the mission that Mistress Leia had asked him to research the files on the Imperial surveys of Baros, and find out what, if anything, the surveys' consequences had been. It had taken him this long to obtain the proper security clearances to fulfil the task, and now he had stumbled upon a piece of information he was sure would interest Mistress Leia greatly, since it implied that a member of the second Imperial survey group had not left with the rest of them, but had remained behind, and was apparently still living on Baros. As yet, however, all attempts to find a listing of the survey team's names had been refused. If only Artoo was with him, much as Threepio hated to admit that his counterpart could do anything he could not, in this case he would certainly be a great help, since he could bypass the security systems entirely and speak directly to the computer. But Artoo wasn't here, he reminded himself somewhat irritably. He would just have to continue working as he had been, and hope to turn up something the slow way.

He had been working fruitlessly for over two hours when the call came through. It was Hezzel's aide again. "Good afternoon, droid," he said.

Threepio thought perhaps the man had forgotten his proper designation, and began to offer it, but the aide cut him off. "The Chief Controller has asked me to inform you that the ambassador's speeder has been found, crashed in the forest, around a hundred miles from the city, but the ambassador and Captain Solo were not in it. The search teams are being redirected to inspect the surrounding area in more detail. I hope this is enough information for you." And he was gone.

Threepio stood bewildered. The speeder crashed? But no sign of Mistress Leia or Master Han? And still Hezzel was apparently not going to inform Coruscant. He called the chief controller's office again.

The aide rolled his eyes. "What do you want now?" he demanded. "If you were my droid I'd have you scrapped."

"Yes, sir," Threepio said politely. "I merely wished to enquire whether the chief controller has any intention of informing the New Republic of the situation yet. If he wished, I could make a call - "

"Don't you dare!" the aide snapped. "The chief controller's got enough problems without you adding to them by causing trouble for him on Coruscant. The New Republic will be informed in good time, when we have fuller information with which to provide them. Don't bother me again." The screen blanked out once more.

"Oh, dear," Threepio said to himself. "It seems the chief controller is afraid of what the New Republic will think of him. But what can have happened to Mistress Leia and Master Han? I don't understand it. Dear, oh dear."

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Luke Skywalker's comm desk pinged. He answered the call, and was shocked to see the golden face that appeared on the screen.

"Threepio!" he exclaimed. "I thought you were on Baros?"

"I am, Master Luke, sir," Threepio replied, sounding even more apologetic and worried than usual. "We appear to have a problem here."

Luke shook his head in confusion. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Where are Leia and Han?"

"Please, Master Luke, try to remain calm," Threepio exhorted, and the incongruity of those words, coming as they did from the most panic-prone being Luke knew, shocked him into thinking straight. "Okay, Threepio," he said. "I'm calm. Tell me what's happened."

"Well, you see, Master Luke," Threepio began, "three days ago (that's around five standard days, sir, by the way) Mistress Leia and Master Han had a free day, and decided to go sightseeing. They took an airspeeder out, but did not return at the time they intended, and indeed, they have not returned since. The speeder has since been found crashed, but they were not with it. There has been no news of them since they left that day, and I am becoming extremely concerned for their safety. The chief controller has been organizing searches, but believed it too soon to warrant bringing the matter to the attention of anyone on Coruscant. But I've become terribly concerned for them, sir, and I simply had to tell someone. I believe the chief controller thinks it will jeopardise Baros' application if he tells the New Republic about this. I do hope I haven't done anything wrong, sir, but I - "

"No, Threepio," Luke reassured him, frowning at this bizarre news. "You did the right thing. This was five days ago?"

"Four point six nine standard days, sir. Approximately," Threepio replied, determined to be as accurate as he could.

"Four point six nine, then," Luke conceded. "And there's been no sign of them at all?"

"No, sir. Sir, might I ask what you intend to do? Should I inform the chief controller that I've contacted you?"

"Yeah, I guess you'd better," Luke told him. "And tell him it will have no bearing on how Baros' application is treated, okay? As for what I'm going to do. . . I'll have to think about it, Threepio. But I'll be in touch." He paused a moment. "And Threepio, try not to worry, okay? I'm sure Leia and Han will be all right."

"Yes, sir," Threepio replied. "Thank you for your help. I think I would have short circuited if I'd had to cope alone much longer."

Luke sat down. He might have told Threepio not to worry, but that didn't stop his own worries. His first instinct was to find Chewie, take the Falcon, and head off for Baros immediately, but he fought down the desire to do so. This wasn't the old days, as he kept having to remind himself. In the old days, when the Alliance worked in separate small cells from separate bases, he could have taken off on his own, but now they were the New Republic, the galactic government, and there were hierarchies that had to be gone through, protocol to follow. . . . He wasn't even sure who he should inform of Leia and Han's disappearance. New Applications, maybe, but for all he knew, the committee assignments could have changed since Leia and Han were dispatched to investigate Baros. . . and the people who were on the committee at that time would be working on different concerns now. The practice of changing committee members each month was intended to keep the councillors and delegates fresh, prevent them from getting too specialized, stuck in a rut, but it didn't help someone outside the system, like him. He sighed. He didn't deal well with governments, large systems. . . people were his thing. And he'd never been much interested in the organizational side of things, anyway. Who did he know in the government, after all? Leia, for a start, and there was that girl she seemed to have taken under her wing - Chia Fortescu. . . but she was just a delegate, hadn't even been a member of New Applications at the time, what could she do? Sure, he'd met all those government people at receptions and formal dinners, but it wasn't like he really knew them. . . .

Suddenly tired of going round in circles, he went back to the comm system, and keyed in Mon Mothma's code. When you don't know where to go, go to the top, he told himself.

"Mon Mothma is occupied and cannot be disturbed," a mechanical voice told him. "Do you wish to leave a message?"

"This is Luke Skywalker," he told the voice. "I want to speak to Mon Mothma on an urgent matter. Please ask her to call me as soon as possible."

"Your message has been logged," the bland voice said. "Thank you."

Well, that was that, but it wasn't enough. On an impulse, he keyed in a request for Chia Fortescu's number. She had been involved in the whole Baros thing after all, maybe she would have a bright idea.

The screen cleared on Chia's face. "Commander Skywalker," she greeted him. "Hello. Can I help you?"

"Call me Luke, please," he replied. "I don't know if you can help, actually, but I'm at a loss what to do. See-Threepio's just called me, from Baros. Apparently, Han and Leia have gone missing."

"Gone missing? How?" Chia exclaimed. "I've been keeping up with Leia's reports, and I noticed there haven't been any for a few days, but there's been nothing come through from Baros about this."

"Well, Threepio reckons the chief controller's been keeping it quiet because he thinks it'll compromise Baros' application," Luke told her.

Chia grunted angrily. "That'd be right. From what I've read, the man's a pompous idiot. What have you done?"

Luke shrugged, feeling unsure of himself. He hadn't bothered reading Leia's reports, thinking of this as just another routine diplomatic mission. His ignorance in this, as well as in the workings of the government itself, made him almost feel like a callow farmboy again. Telling himself that he was a Jedi knight and didn't have to concern himself with such things didn't quite ring true either.

"Well. . ." he hesitated, "I didn't know who I should tell, so I've left a message for Mon Mothma."

"Straight to the top, huh?" Chia grinned. "Well, if the channels are open to you, why not? I guess you'll just have to wait for her to call you back. Are you expecting to go to Baros?"

"That's what I'd like to be doing right now," Luke admitted. "But I suppose I'd better wait for an official sanction. I'd better check out Leia's reports too, I guess."

"I have copies, if you'd like me to send them over," Chia offered. "It'd save you a lot of research."

"Sure," he agreed. "That'd be a great help. Thanks, Chia."

"No problem," she smiled. "As long as you can arrange for me to go to Baros with you."

"Uh. . ." Luke hesitated, feeling even less sure of himself. Chia saw his uncertainty, smiled.

"If I can get the proper clearance, of course," she added.

Luke returned her smile. "Sure, why not?" he told her.

* * *

"I'm not sure I understand," Mon Mothma said thoughtfully. "Why did See-Threepio call you, and not contact someone officially?"

Luke smiled slightly. "I believe the chief controller had forbidden him to tell anyone officially, and while he wouldn't disobey that order, he had to tell someone, and he knew I'd want to know."

"But surely he knew you would make the news official?"

"I guess if I told it was different, to him, than if he told," Luke essayed. "Besides, I almost didn't tell anyone. My first instinct was just to jump in the Falcon with Chewie and head off there."

Mon Mothma smiled. "Well, I'm glad you stopped to have second thoughts. You realize New Applications is going to have to talk officially to Baros about it?"

"Yes," Luke nodded. "Threepio is going to tell Hezzel that he's told me, so no doubt he'll be expecting something like that." He sighed. "I just wish I knew if Leia and Han were okay."

Mon Mothma looked serious. "Yes. . . it is a very strange situation. We can only hope they are safe somewhere." She looked at him. "As I'm sure they are."

Luke shrugged. "I was always sure I'd know. . . I'd feel something, through the Force, if. . . if something happened to Leia." He shook his head. "But at this distance. . . who knows?"

The council leader didn't let him dwell on it. "After we've confirmed with Hezzel the truth of what Threepio said, we will almost certainly send a diplomatic team to Baros. They'll be going mainly to show a New Republic presence there, to give what help they can with the search, and to keep us informed of the situation. Are you interested?"

Luke sat forward. "Of course I am. That's the one thing I want."

Mon Mothma smiled. "Do you think you'll be able to get a team together? There'll have to be at least one member of the government involved. I don't know if you know anyone who would be suitable. . . "

"Uh, actually, there's Chia Fortescu," Luke offered. "She's a delegate, she was called in at the same time Leia was to advise New Applications; she's been following Leia's reports. . . and she's very keen to go."

Mon Mothma smiled slightly. "I think I've met her once or twice. If she's the girl I'm thinking of, she's certainly very keen. The trip would probably be good experience for her. Anyone else you have in mind?"

"I thought I'd ask Chewbacca. We could take the Falcon, and that would save having to find a transport, and probably get us there quicker too."

"You sound like you've got it all under control," Mon Mothma told him. "All right, I'll pass the information on to New Applications, they'll contact Hezzel directly, and then if they decide to send a team, I'll put them in touch with you."

"Thank you," Luke said. "I. . . was hoping to get there as soon as possible. . . . "

Mon Mothma smiled. "I will impress on them the urgency of the situation. We have an ambassador missing, and that makes it a very serious case in itself."

"Of course," Luke agreed, feeling a little foolish. "I'm sorry. It's just that. . . it's Leia out there."

The council leader smiled sympathetically. "I know. I promise you, things will move as quickly as possible once we have official confirmation of the information."

"Thank you."

* * *

Per Hezzel sat with his head in his hands and wished, not for the first time this last few days, that he had never accepted the New Republic's female ambassador; indeed, that he had never had the bright idea of applying for membership of that organization. Things were going from bad to worse. He'd just had another emergency meeting with his cabinet, to discuss the news of the crashed speeder. Not that the meeting had been at all useful. He was beginning to think he'd chosen a load of complete idiots to serve as his closest advisors. There would have to be a complete reshuffle once this business was over. If he was still able to continue as chief controller once the people found out what had happened, of course. Public opinion had been dubious at the idea of joining the New Republic from the beginning. Once they found out what a hash he'd made of the whole business there were likely to be calls for his resignation and an immediate election. He would be completely disgraced.

He raised his head to answer his comm. "Chief Controller, sir," his aide said, "I have the ambassador's droid on the line again. He's demanding to speak to you."

"I told you to put him off!" Hezzel snapped.

"I know, sir, and I'm sorry, but he insists it's urgent. Every time I switch off he calls straight back."

Hezzel punched his desk. "Damn them all! This New Republic is much more trouble than it's worth." He sighed. "Very well. Put him through."

See-Threepio's face appeared on the screen. "Chief Controller, I do apologize for my behaviour, but I feel it my duty to inform you that I have contacted Coruscant and informed the ambassador's brother of her and Captain Solo's disappearance."

"You've done WHAT?!" Hezzel stormed, and Threepio visibly shrank from the screen. "I expressly instructed you not to tell anyone in the New Republic! How dare you?"

"Excuse me, sir," Threepio remonstrated, "but my mistress's brother holds no official position in the New Republic. He is not a member of the government - "

"And you think he won't tell anyone official? Do you realize how stupid you've been, how much trouble you've caused for me?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but he is the ambassador's brother, I thought he had a right to know - "

"You're a droid! Since when were droids programmed to make decisions about when, or if, people - related or not - should be made party to such sensitive information?"

Threepio, chastened, and knowing that he had, indeed, overstepped his official capacity in this case, said nothing. The chief controller glared at him. "Well, I suppose I'm going to have to think about what I'm going to tell them now. I hope you're pleased with yourself."

"Sir, my master did ask me to tell you that the New Republic will not hold you personally responsible in any way for what has happened," Threepio began, but again Hezzel interrupted him. "He holds no governmental position. What the hell would he know?"

And he broke the connection. But no sooner had he done so than his aide again appeared on the screen. "Sir, I'm sorry," he began, looking horrified. "There's been a message from the New Republic. They know, sir."

"I know they do," Hezzel said. "That damned droid told them. Send through the message, and have the Basic girl ready to translate the reply. I'll do it now."

He turned to read the message, with a growing feeling of impending doom.

***

_/From: Per Hezzel, Chief Controller, Baros_

_/To: New Applications Committee, Coruscant_

_/Code: 1539/7724_

_My apologies to you all for not advising you of this incident sooner, but I did not wish to cause you undue concern by providing you with incomplete information. I was not aware that the protocol droid See-Threepio would go behind my back in this way, and I regret that you received the information in such a manner before I could tell you of it myself._

_The facts of the matter are this: Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo went out alone, in an airspeeder, and never returned. We did, of course, immediately initiate a search for them, but did not inform the New Republic at this stage since it was entirely possible that they would be found safe very soon, and we would have worried you unnecessarily. Today, the speeder was found, crashed some one hundred miles from Baros City, but Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo were not with it. This, of course, must mean that they survived the crash, and the search teams have now been ordered to concentrate on the surrounding areas. _

_I have no doubt that the ambassador and her companion will be found safe and well very soon, but if the New Republic should wish, as you mentioned, to send a team to help in the search and act for the ambassador in her absence, we should be glad to receive such a team. Rest assured, you will of course be informed as soon as we have any more information on Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo._

* * *

Han poked ineffectually at the innards of the transmitter. Three days, now, he had been working on the thing, and he reckoned he must have fixed it at least twice over by now. It was getting boring. No, it had been boring since he'd finished it the first time and had begun taking apart selected bits to make it appear as if he was still actually doing something useful. He really didn't feel like starting to dismantle it again. He'd taken apart and put back together every component, by his reckoning, at least twice, some of the easier bits much more than that. But Leia wanted him to stall, so he would have to stall. And after the fight Leia and Najine had had the day before, it looked like he would be stalling quite a while yet.

He heard footsteps behind him, and turned, to see Leia. "Hi, sweetheart," he greeted her. "How's it going?"

She shook her head, dropping to a sitting position on the grass beside him. "Not good," she said. "Najine's still ignoring me. It's crazy. I don't see how she expects this ransom idea to work."

Han shook his head. "I don't see it either, but I can't keep pretending to work on this thing forever. It's driving me nuts."

Leia wasn't really listening. "The only chance I have is by talking to the women. But I can't do it without Najine's help, and if she won't help me. . . ." She caught Han's eye. "What?"

"You weren't listening to me, were you?" he asked, a little irritated. "I said that I can't keep working on this thing forever."

Leia frowned, not understanding, then her gaze fell on the transmitter. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "Is that thing functional?"

"Well, not right now, because I just ripped the guts out of the frequency modulator for the third time," he told her. "Why?"

But she wasn't paying attention again. She had stood up, and was calling across the camp to where Najine stood by the fire talking to Charen. Najine scowled, but crossed the clearing to them. "What do you want?" she asked.

Leia smiled sweetly at her. "Just to tell you that Han can fix the transmitter, but won't unless I get to talk to the women again."

Najine's mouth set in an angry line. "And just what makes you think you're in any position to be making deals?" she demanded.

Han wondered that too, but Leia seemed quite prepared for the question. "The fact that you need both of us alive," she replied calmly. "You need Han to fix the transmitter, and I don't think I need to tell you why you need me, do I?" Najine didn't answer, so she continued. "All I'm asking is that I have the chance to speak to them. You have nothing to lose. If I manage to convince them that I have enough influence with Hezzel to change things, you let us go. If I don't, Han fixes the transmitter, you do whatever you've planned."

Najine looked at Han. "And you're with her in this?"

He nodded. "Sure."

She sighed through gritted teeth, looked around her. Torril, who'd been guarding Han, asked her what was going on, but she ignored her. Finally, she looked back at Han and Leia. "Fine," she snarled. "Have it your way. Come on." She told Torril to call the women to the kitchen hut, and led the way there.

Minutes later, Leia found herself facing the entire group, and realizing that she hadn't prepared anything to say. With hindsight, she supposed that she should have considered that before putting the proposal to Najine, but at the time, she'd been so pleased with coming up with the idea she hadn't stopped to think. She took a deep breath, and just started talking. "I asked Najine to let me talk to you again, because I think you maybe didn't understand last time just what my position on Baros is, and the influence I have with the chief controller. When the New Republic sent me here as an ambassador, it was because Baros had applied to join the New Republic, but we knew very little about the world. My job is twofold: to find out more about Baros, and to judge its suitability for New Republic membership. I have already decided that Baros, without massive change in its laws, is not suitable to join." She paused as one of the women asked a question, and turned to Najine.

"She wants to know if your decision is final, or if the New Republic can overrule you," Najine told her. Leia turned back to the woman. "I make a recommendation to the New Applications committee when I return to Coruscant," she said. "They make the final decision, but they sent me here, and they will be unlikely to overrule my recommendation."

Another of the women was speaking, Leia thought it was Tania, saying that how much influence Leia had on Coruscant didn't matter, it was the power she did or didn't have on Baros that mattered. "That's quite true," Leia agreed, "to a certain extent. But if my decision about Baros has sway on Coruscant, then I must have power here too. If I tell Hezzel that I won't recommend Baros for membership, then he knows that ruling is unlikely to be changed, even if he does appeal."

"But does Hezzel believe that?" Najine asked, repeating her question in Baran for the women.

Leia smiled. "To begin with, no, I don't think he did. But we'd had several meetings by the time I ended up here, and yes, he has come to understand that I can decide the outcome of Baros' application."

Jess suddenly exploded, and hotheaded as she was, as well as unused to having her words translated, didn't wait for Najine to interpret. Najine just sat back and waited for her tirade to finish, and then gave Leia the abridged version. "Basically, she thinks you're kidding yourself. Hezzel is never going to believe that a mere woman can make decisions about the fate of entire worlds, and he's not going to change Baros' laws on a woman's say-so. So, in short, we're all wasting our time here."

"Changing the laws isn't the only option," Leia argued. "I'd already realized that Hezzel was going to be very resistant to any kind of alteration in the social system. I didn't get the chance to put the idea to him, because we ended up here, but if he refused, the next thing I was going to suggest was the idea of allowing emigration. It's not a perfect solution, obviously, but it would be a way out for you, and women like you."

She heard Najine's tone of voice change as she translated the last part of her speech. Her voice became thoughtful, and for a moment Leia almost thought she was winning her over. But Jess was arguing again. She had obviously decided that Leia, as a woman, could have no power on Baros, whatever her position was offworld, and she would not be swayed from that. The problem was that as she argued, she sowed doubts in the other women's minds as well, constantly undermining Leia's credibility.

"I know Hezzel wants Baros to be able to trade with the rest of the galaxy," she insisted. "Joining the New Republic won't just make that easier, it'll be practically impossible to build a trading system without our help. The New Republic is ready to buy a large percentage of Baros' mineral product, but not while it's a closed world. I'm almost certain Hezzel will be willing to exchange an emigration programme for that chance."

Charen spoke up, for the first time, and Najine relayed her words. "On a world that's so concerned with population growth, emigration won't be so easily accepted. The controllers will be scared to lose people, especially women."

"Population growth is high," Leia told her. "The women who will be wanting to leave will be those like yourselves, who would be unlikely to have children anyway. The colony won't die out because of a few women leaving, and Hezzel can be made to understand that."

But Charen looked unconvinced, and, as Leia discovered when Najine put the matter to a vote moments later, if Charen didn't buy it, the rest of the women didn't buy it either. They voted unanimously to stick with the ransom idea. Leia sighed, shook her head hopelessly, but conceded defeat when Najine turned to her. "So how soon can you have the transmitter fixed?" Najine asked Han, and he shrugged. "Within a half-hour, but you don't want it done tonight, do you?"

She shook her head. "Tomorrow morning'll do. We need to decide on the message yet, anyway."

Leia looked at her. "You know you're making a mistake, Najine. I know Hezzel would have agreed to my proposal eventually."

"We had a deal, Leia," Najine reminded her quietly. "You got what you wanted. Now all you have to do is sit quiet and wait to be ransomed."

She turned away so she wouldn't hear Leia's riposte. "It's not going to work. I feel it."

* * *

_/From: Luke Skywalker, Millennium Falcon_

_/To: C-3PO, Ambassador's party, Baros_

_/Code: 7699/2114_

_Hello, Threepio. You'll be glad to hear I'm on my way to Baros, with Delegate Chia Fortescu, Chewbacca, and R2-D2. The chief controller's been informed of this, but I thought I'd call you personally, just in case he forgot to tell you. We're expecting to be there sometime in the early afternoon tomorrow I believe. No doubt Hezzel will be wanting you to interpret for him when we arrive, so we'll see you then. Take care. Artoo sends his best wishes._

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Han sat near the camp fire, systematically snapping a twig into centimetre-long pieces, throwing them into the fire and watching them pop. Leia sat watching him, at first amused by his restlessness. As time passed, however, and he continued to do nothing but scowl at the twig, break off a piece, throw it into the fire and then scowl at the fire, she became at first irritated and then downright annoyed.

"Han!" she finally exclaimed. He looked up, still scowling.

"What?"

"Will you stop that, please?" she asked, forcing herself to remain calm.

"Why?" he asked. "There's nothing else to do."

Leia rolled her eyes. He was like a petulant child sometimes. "There are a hundred things you could be doing," she told him. "I'm sure Amina needs help in the kitchen, or you could help get water, or chop firewood. . . properly! Or go and play with the electronic junk. Or just do what Najine said, and sit back and wait to be ransomed. Just please stop that, because if you snap one more twig I think I'll go crazy."

Han grunted, flung the rest of his twig whole into the fire. He lay back, resting his head against a log, and closed his eyes against her. Leia sighed. To be truthful, doing nothing was beginning to get to her too. It was four days now since Najine had found them in the forest, and she'd made no progress at all. Time was getting short, the ransom demand was about to be sent, as soon as they could agree on the wording, and she didn't think there was anything more she could do. She'd had her chance, and blown it. And once the message was sent, Hezzel would throw everything he had into searching for them, and wouldn't be in a mood to negotiate. And if they were tracked down. . . . If the police found them. . . . She had a very bad feeling about that.

She sighed again, rested her arms across her knees and her chin on her arms, stared into the fire. The movement of the flames was soothing, almost hypnotic, and she found her thoughts drifting, back to Coruscant, to their comfortable apartment in the Imperial palace, the magnificent view from the roof, where she and Luke had talked for hours one night, trying to put together their past from the separate pieces of the jigsaw they each held. . . . Luke. She suddenly realized how much she missed him. He was so far away. Did he even know they were missing? It had been almost a standard week since she sent her last report to Coruscant, surely someone must know something had gone wrong? She shook her head, told herself to be patient. Once the ransom demand was sent, that would at least open communication with the government, which should tell her something.

But there was something else. Something was tugging at the back of her mind, something she'd forgotten. . . or something she should know, but hadn't noticed yet. . . . She frowned. It was an uneasy feeling, but she couldn't pin it down. She shook her head, as if to clear a noise in her ears, but it wasn't in her ears. In her mind. . . the Force again? She closed her eyes, tried to relax, her mind drifted, to alight on Luke again. But it wasn't just her thoughts of him bringing him so strongly into her mind, it was him. Luke was on Baros!

She exclaimed aloud, enough to rouse Han from his doze, and her eyes opened, wide with surprise. "What is it?" Han asked, concerned.

Leia gazed at him in wonderment. "Luke's here! On Baros - I just sensed him."

"Luke's here?" Han exclaimed. "Now? Has he just arrived? Then they must know we're missing! This is great! Is Chewie with him?"

Leia shook her head, bewildered. "I don't know. I only just felt his presence now. . . . Chewie? Why Chewie?"

Han didn't answer. "You used the Force, right?" Leia nodded. "Could you use it to find out if Chewie's here too? Please, it's important."

Leia searched his face. "Why? Han, have you got something up your sleeve you're not telling me about? I don't want you endangering us - or these women - with one of your crazy schemes."

"It's not a crazy scheme," he protested. "It's just. . . well, a homing beacon, if you must know."

"What?!" Leia exclaimed. "Where did you get a homing beacon?"

Han almost looked sheepish. "Found it with the junk," he admitted. "Najine couldn't have seen it, and none of the others would know what it is. See, me and Chewie had this contingency plan, when we were smugglers, we always carried homers, just in case either of us got in trouble, we could always call the other in. Just never got out of the habit."

Leia gave him a stern look. "Don't you dare use it, Han, you hear me? The last thing I want is Chewie roaring in here looking to rip off some limbs, with half the Baran police force following him."

Han looked disgruntled. "He could do it quiet-like," he murmured.

"Chewie?!" Leia exclaimed, and Han shrugged. "Okay, I guess you're right. But I reckon you're forgetting something too."

"What?"

"Well, Luke's here, and you don't need a homer to call him, do you? And the police can follow him just as easily as they could follow Chewie."

Leia felt suddenly cold. He was right. Luke didn't know what kind of situation they were in, whether they were in danger or not. And using the Force, he could probably be here within a half-hour, depending on how far they were from the city. She had to stop him. She'd have to use the Force to try and speak to him, something she had no experience of, and no idea how to go about it. But the need was urgent.

"Okay, let me tr - " She stopped herself just in time. She'd become almost superstitious lately about not saying "try", so much so that she felt if she said it, it would mean failure. "Let me talk to Luke," she amended, and it sounded almost like a prayer.

Han watched her as she closed her eyes, breathed deeply and slowly. Despite her relaxed appearance, he could see she was concentrating intensely. He found himself concentrating with her, willing her to get through to Luke, willing Luke to be able to hear her. Leia frowned slightly, her whole body tensing for a moment as if she was pushing against something. Then she relaxed again, a small smile curving her mouth. Her lips moved slightly, as if she was whispering something. She sat like that for almost five minutes, eventually even the tiny movements of her lips ceasing. He waited impatiently, wishing he knew what was happening. Then she laughed aloud, and her eyes opened.

"It's okay," she told him excitedly. Then her smile faded, as she noticed something behind him. Han turned to see what it was, and his heart sank. Watching her, looking extremely suspicious, was Najine.

* * *

Luke smiled to himself. Whatever Leia had intended her contact with him to be like, the effect had been that of someone coming up close to whisper in your ear, and then shouting at the top of their voice. But he didn't have time to think about that now, or about the implications of Leia using the Force with confidence, for the first time. Chief Controller Hezzel had just arrived at their landing bay, with See-Threepio in tow, and he needed all his attention for this meeting.

"Greetings," Hezzel began, through Threepio, of course. "I am Per Hezzel, Chief Controller of Baros. I greatly regret the circumstances which have brought you here, but I hope we can resolve the situation as soon as possible."

"Thank you," Luke replied. "I hope so too, since the ambassador is my sister, and I would hate any harm to come to her. I am Commander Luke Skywalker, and these are Delegate Chia Fortescu, and Chewbacca, my pilot."

"Welcome to you all," Hezzel said, eyeing the Wookiee with interest, and some apprehension. "I am sure you wish to meet as soon as possible to hear the full details of the unfortunate incident, and also to hear how my negotiations with the ambassador were progressing before her disappearance."

Luke shook his head. "The ambassador is our priority," he asserted. "When she is found, she should continue the negotiations. We can discuss how things have gone up until now, but we will not take that any further without Leia being present."

"Oh, of course," Hezzel agreed quickly. "Naturally, I am anxious to continue discussions, and to have a decision made on Baros' application to the New Republic as soon as possible, but I understand that that should wait until there is definite information on the ambassador's fate. I have arranged transport to take you to your accommodations now, and once you have had time to settle in, we will have a meeting over dinner tonight at 17:00 hours. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, Chief Controller. Thank you," Luke replied.

* * *

"O-kay," Najine said slowly, looking from Leia to Han and back again. "Now would one of you mind telling me what's going on?"

"She was just meditating," Han began quickly, hoping to get in before Leia could give the whole thing away. "Things have been pretty stressful the last few days, you know, and. . . ." He trailed off. Najine hadn't even glanced at him. Instead, she addressed Leia. "Now would you mind telling me the truth?"

Leia shrugged. "It's no big deal, Najine. My brother's just arrived on Baros - you know, the Jedi knight? I was just letting him know we're okay, and asking him not to come looking for us."

Najine folded her arms, gave Leia a weary look. "Two big holes in that story," she commented. "First, you told me you couldn't use the Force. And second," she held up her hand as Leia began to protest, "why would you be bothering to contact him to tell him not to come rescue you?"

"I told you the truth," Leia insisted. "I can't use the Force - not enough to be useful, anyway. I've had no training. I'm Force-sensitive, sure, but I can't control it. The only reason I can talk to Luke is because he can sense me. I was telling him to stay away because he could trace me here without even trying, and I didn't want half the Baran police force following him. Surely you don't want that either."

"No, I wouldn't," Najine agreed matter-of-factly. "But I don't see why it would bother you."

Leia sighed. "You'd have no chance, Najine," she told her. "How many of these women really know how to use a blaster? You'd be outnumbered, outgunned, you'd be massacred. And I don't want that any more than you do. Please, it's not too late. Why don't you just let us go? I know you believe I can convince Hezzel to allow emigration, the others will listen to you. You can't win this way."

Najine shook her head. "It is too late, Leia," she said quietly. "That's what I was coming to tell you. We've finally decided on the wording of the ransom demand, and I've given Tania leave to send it."

"No!" Leia exclaimed. "Don't you see, if Luke's here, that means the New Republic knows we're missing. Hezzel's going to be going crazy thinking he's never going to get membership now, there's no way he'll meet your demands. You have to stop her sending the message."

"I can't," Najine told her through clenched teeth. "Tania's left. She'll be sending from out in the forest, to make sure they can't trace the transmission here. And they'd just better not know where we are." She shouted across the clearing, calling two of the other women, who came running over to them. "We're playing it my way," she said. "I don't know how many times I'll have to tell you that before it sinks in. But I think you'll both be better off in your cabin for now, just in case you get any more crazy ideas. I can't stop you using the Force, I know that, but if the Baran police do come down on us, I'll know who to blame."

* * *

Luke and the others stopped at their allotted apartment only long enough to drop off their baggage, then at Threepio's insistence, went to the apartment Han and Leia had used. "I know this place is free of surveillance," he told Luke, "and I have some important information to share with you."

"Well, I have some too," Luke said. "I can tell you all that Leia and Han are safe and well, and apparently in no immediate danger."

Chewbacca yowled happily, Artoo beeped and whistled, and Chia asked, "How? How do you know?"

"Because as soon as we arrived here, she contacted me through the Force. She wants us to do nothing yet, just wait and see what happens, try to stop Hezzel from panicking, and she'll be in touch."

Chia smiled quizzically. "How strange," she commented. "Where can they be?"

Luke shrugged. "Not far away," he told her. "But that's all I know."

Master Luke, sir," Threepio cut in, "I am very gratified to hear that Mistress Leia and Master Han are indeed alive and safe. You cannot imagine what a relief that is for me. But if I could ask you to turn your attention to something else for a moment. It is quite important...."

Luke smiled. Threepio obviously had something on his mind, and wasn't going to rest until he had unburdened himself, so he resigned himself to hearing all about it.

"You see, Master Luke," the droid began, "early in the mission, Mistress Leia asked me to attempt to find out if there had ever been any Imperial presence on Baros, after the two surveys they carried out. It was not until after she and Master Han disappeared that I was able to gain access to the databases I needed to - yes, Chewbacca, I'm getting to the point. Please be patient. As I was saying, Master Luke, I discovered that one of the second Imperial survey team is still living on Baros."

"Really?" Chia demanded. "Still here?"

"Yes indeed, Delegate Fortescu," Threepio replied. "Master Luke, I thought since Mistress Leia had asked me to investigate this matter, that it might be of interest to you. I have been unable so far to discover his name, but if I could have permission to allow Artoo to talk directly to the computer, I am sure we could find out his identity."

But Luke was no longer listening to the droid. "Very interesting," he commented. "Now why would the Empire have left behind a member of a survey team?"

"Spying?" Chia suggested.

"What's to spy on?" Luke returned. "If the Empire wanted Baros that much, and of course at the time the military was really proliferating, they could have used the metals. . . but it wouldn't have been difficult to conquer." He turned back to Threepio. "What were you saying?"

But Artoo-Detoo had decided to take matters into his own manipulators, and was already searching the databases. He beeped excitedly. "Really? Are you sure?" Threepio asked. "Don't jump to any conclusions, Artoo-Detoo. The data has to be verified."

Artoo honked indignantly.

"Oh, very well," Threepio sighed. "Master Luke, apparently Artoo has already located the pertinent information. The man's name is Herm Stiller, and his address is given as 1425 West Chenko Street. Show-off," he commented quietly to his counterpart.

Luke smiled. "Well done, Artoo. You too, Threepio." He stood up. "I think I'd better go pay a visit on this Stiller," he said. "Threepio, you come with me. Chewie, Chia, Artoo, you stay here in case there's any more messages from our friend Hezzel. We shouldn't be long."

* * *

1425 West Chenko Street looked like any other of the small suburban dwellings along that road: pleasant and unremarkable. Luke pressed the buzzer and moments later a small, middle-aged woman opened the door. She glanced from him to Threepio, looking worried.

"We're looking for Herm Stiller," Luke told her, Threepio translating, then after she replied telling him, "She says her husband is out. He runs a small hardware store in the city." A few more words to the woman, and he added, "The address is 103 Shamplik Road."

They found the store, and the man, who appeared rather disconcerted at being spoken to in Basic.

"You must forgive me," he told Luke. "It's been so long. I've even begun to dream in Baran lately." He glanced at Threepio. "Are you with the ambassador's party?"

"Yes, we are," Luke told him, and decided to come straight to the point. "You were with the second Imperial survey of Baros, is that right?"

Stiller groaned. "Don't say you're going to arrest me," he said. "I was only a surveyor. I had no military rank, I don't know any secrets."

"We're not here to arrest you," Luke reassured him. "I'd just like to know why you were allowed to stay behind. I didn't think it was that easy to leave Imperial service."

"Like I said, I was only a civilian employee," Stiller told him. "I liked it here, I met my wife, I asked to stay."

"It's a bit isolated here, isn't it?" Luke suggested.

Stiller shrugged. "No more than any of the rim worlds," he said, and Luke, thinking of Tatooine, couldn't disagree with him. "And there's a quality of life here - low crime rate, high employment, great place to bring up kids."

"So long as they're not girls," Luke said quietly.

Stiller waved him off. "The women don't have it bad here," he asserted. "My wife's happy. I always thought the ambassador made too much of that point. Still," he added, "Leia Organa was always a bit of a firebrand, wasn't she?"

"You remember her as a senator?" Luke asked. "You must have had some outside contact then." He shook his head, dismissing Stiller's excuses before he made them. "Just what were the conditions to you staying on here?"

"It was nothing much, honest," Stiller told him. "I just helped set up and run some trade deals. The Empire was needing more and more raw materials. The military was going crazy - Super Star Destroyers, Death Stars - they needed what Baros was producing. But Baros couldn't be seen to be trading with the outside. So I was the go-between."

Luke looked thoughtful. "So Baros had been receiving Imperial cash for years then?"

Stiller hesitated, seeming unwilling to answer. Luke nudged him slightly with the Force to give him a little encouragement, and the ex-surveyor leaned forward conspiratorially. "It wasn't Baros as a whole. Some of the government high-ups - might object to the outside galaxy politically, but had no scruples about making money out of it. They set up a company, bought in the stuff, then sold it on to the Empire."

"But all that ended when the Empire lost the war," Luke stated, and Stiller nodded. "Yeah, shame. I miss the commission."

Luke thought a moment. "Do you think those men might be involved in the ambassador's disappearance? That they might be annoyed enough about losing that money. . .?"

Stiller shook his head. "Now, I'm not even officially supposed to know about them disappearing, but I still have friends in the government, if you know what I mean, and, no, they wouldn't do anything to hurt the ambassador. They want that trade arrangement back, or something like it. That's why they want to join the New Republic. There's no way they'd do anything to jeopardise that."

"So. . . who's your money on?"

"Well. . . " Stiller shrugged, "you hear rumours from time to time, about women who might have run away from the city, might even be living wild out in the forests somewhere. Sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but you never know."

* * *

"Amazing," Chia commented. "So Hezzel and his cronies had been trading with the Empire for years without anyone knowing."

"And the only reason they wanted to join the New Republic was so they could carry on like that," Luke added.

Chia shook her head. "Leia will go nuts when she hears about this," she said. "It hardly shows commitment to the Republic's ideals, does it?"

Luke smiled. "I don't think Leia ever thought that Hezzel was motivated by a social conscience," he said, and Chia nodded in agreement.

The comm system buzzed for attention, and Threepio went to answer it while they continued talking. A moment later, however, he called to them. "Oh, my!" he exclaimed. "Master Luke, everybody, I think you should see this."

They gathered around the screen. It was a text message, from Hezzel's office.

_/This message has just been received:_

_This is the Free Women of Baros, calling Chief Controller Hezzel. We have the New Republic Ambassador Leia Organa and Captain Han Solo as our prisoners. They are unharmed. They will be returned to you unharmed in exchange for safe passage for us off Baros. We will await your reply on this frequency within twenty hours. I repeat: this is the Free Women of Baros. We await your call. Message ends._

_The chief controller requests he have some time to discuss this new development with his cabinet before meeting with you. Be assured that the searches will continue through the night, and the chief controller will meet with you at 7 hours tomorrow morning./_

"That's a bit silly," Luke commented. "I know they want to convince us they're doing all they can, but sending the search teams out at night? They're hardly likely to find anything, are they? He's wasting his resources, when he could have twice as many teams out searching during the day."

A growled question from Chewbacca, and Threepio asked, "Sir, Chewbacca asks whether you are absolutely sure Mistress Leia and Master Han are in no danger. After all, kidnapping is a serious offence. . . ."

Luke nodded. "It doesn't sound too good to me either, Chewie, but Leia assured me they were okay. I think she's protecting these women. . . Force knows why, but I guess we have to trust her - for now, at least."

He reached out, through the Force, searching for Leia; found her sense, but only vaguely. She was peaceful, probably sleeping. He sighed, left her undisturbed. Much as he worried for her, if she asked him to leave her where she was, he would do that. But if she was trying to protect the women who held her, he didn't hold out much hope for the long-term success of the endeavour. Hezzel's search teams were bound to locate them sooner or later, and what she could do to help them then, he didn't know. He didn't exactly have a good feeling about any of this.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Hezzel greeted them all, and then got straight down to business. "Since you have read the ransom demand, you'll know what we're now dealing with. I really must apologize. I should have left orders that Ambassador Organa and Captain Solo should not be permitted to go out alone. I hold myself responsible for this situation, and I shall ensure these self-styled 'Free Women' do not go unpunished for their actions."

"Chief Controller," Luke began, "please let me assure you that neither we, the New Republic, nor, I'm sure, the ambassador herself, hold you responsible for what's happened. May we ask what you are planning to do about the ransom demand?"

"Of course we will not be meeting their demands," Hezzel told him. "I am certain that our searches will locate them before long, and, as mere women, I am sure they will prove no match for our excellent police force. They will be arrested, and the ambassador returned to you, without delay."

"I am gratified to hear that," Luke told him, thinking at the same time that Leia wouldn't be. "But could I ask what reply you will be making to the message?"

"We will make no reply," the chief controller asserted. "These women's arrogance has astounded us all, and we feel that by replying we would be dignifying their actions in a way we do not wish to. I am sure that when their deadline passes, they will contact us again, and perhaps, if we are lucky, give away some information that will be useful to us."

Chewbacca growled, and Hezzel eyed him nervously as Threepio relayed his question. "What if the failure to reply should panic the women, and they should hurt Ambassador Organa or Captain Solo?"

Hezzel shook his head. "Oh, I am sure that would not happen. Women are not naturally aggressive. It would take a lot more than that to drive them to such radical actions."

"What a load of nonsense!" Chia exclaimed. "Sorry, Threepio. The women you know may be non-aggressive but these women are different - they don't live in the city, they call themselves free women, I don't think they exactly conform to your stereotypes."

"I'm sorry, my dear," Hezzel told her. "I don't think you fully understand. Baran women are not like New Republic women, the ambassador discovered that. What these women call themselves, where they live, does not change the facts - they are still Baran women, and I assure you I know Baran women."

Chia shook her head, but caught Luke's warning look and said nothing.

"So we wait, then?" Luke asked.

"Yes, Ambassador Skywalker," Hezzel agreed. "Any new developments will be reported to you without delay. In the meantime, please be patient."

"We will," Luke assured him. "And you take it easy, too. We have every confidence in your ability to handle the situation." How can a Jedi knight lie so well? he wondered. But if Leia's safety depended on Hezzel remaining calm, he would do anything to ensure the chief controller's calm. Even lie through his teeth.

* * *

"Has there been any reply to your ransom message yet?" Leia asked Najine. She and Han were still confined to their cabin, and Najine's arrival with the woman who brought their food was the first chance they had had to catch up with what was happening.

Najine shook her head. "Not yet," she told her. "But they have until 14:00 to contact us. After that we'll have to call them again and start threatening you."

Leia raised her eyebrows. "It's hardly worth it, is it?" she asked. "I don't think Hezzel's going to believe you'd hurt us. All he'll be doing is stalling until he can locate you."

"He's not going to find us," Najine assured her, with a confidence she hardly felt. "He's going to have to give in to us eventually, don't you worry."

Leia said nothing, but after the other woman had left, shook her head sadly. "She's nowhere near as sure of that as she'd like to have us believe," she told Han. "I'm beginning to have a very bad feeling about this."

"I've had one from the beginning," Han commented quietly.

* * *

14:00 came and went, with no reply from the controllers, and Tania found herself out in the forest again, with only the transmitter for company. She read over the message twice, to be sure of making no mistakes, then took a deep breath, and switched from receive to transmit.

"This is the Free Women of Baros," she began. "We have received no reply to our earlier transmission. As we told you then, we have the New Republic ambassador, and her husband. They are still unharmed, as we promised, but unless we receive assurance from you that our demands for safe passage off Baros will be met, that promise will no longer stand. You have another twenty hours to advise us of your decision. Should this deadline not be met, we will feel no further obligation to keep the ambassador safe. This is the Free Women of Baros. We await your reply."

* * *

The next morning, Leia found herself pacing, walking the room relentlessly. She couldn't settle. There was something wrong, she knew it. She could feel it. They'd heard what they were sure were engines earlier, and even though they'd been far enough away to cause no real concern, a sense of foreboding had overtaken her that had just gotten worse as time went on. And the women outside felt no better.

"I don't like this," she said, for possibly the fifth time. "They're all churned up. There's definitely something going on."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it in here, is there?" Han remonstrated. "Why not sit down? I'm sure we'll find out what's up sometime."

"Sometime's no good, Han!" she said tensely. "I have to know, or something terrible's going to happen. I feel it."

Han sighed as she went to the door and hammered on it with her fist. "Hey! You out there!" she yelled. "I want to talk to Najine now!" There was no reply. "Blast it," she mumbled, trying to pull together the Baran words. "Najine. . . . Carala - iktili Najine. Now!" She heard the guard moving away,turned back to Han. "Well, she's gone," she began, then hesitated.

Engines again, practically overhead this time.

They both looked up, though all they could see was the ceiling of the hut. "They've found us, Han," Leia said quietly.

"Looks that way."

Najine appeared in the doorway. "What's going on?" she demanded. Leia didn't need to try to feel the wave of anxiety emanating from the other woman, it almost overwhelmed her. It took her a moment to close it down, and Han, seeing her hesitate, stepped in. "They've found us, haven't they?" he asked.

"Not necessarily," Najine replied. "You said yourself you could fly right over this place and not see it."

"So long as you weren't looking for it, sure," Han countered. "But they've been over three times today, getting closer all the time. I'll bet they're calling up reinforcements right now."

Najine said nothing.

"Please, Najine," Leia began. "Make another call. Tell them you'll free us. You can still stop it before it goes too far."

Najine looked at her, naked fear in her eyes. "It's already gone too far," she said, sounding like a woman signing her own death warrant. "I have to go."

Leia didn't try to stop her, but she turned haunted eyes on Han when she was gone. "They have no chance," she said.

Han shook his head. "This is insane."

"I have to call Luke." Leia sat down, closed her eyes, reached down deep to find a calm space inside the horror. She breathed deep, reached for her brother.

* * *

Luke jumped alert, almost bounced off the couch by Leia's desperate call. "Leia's in trouble," he told the others. "Chewie, come on, we have to get out there."

"Master Luke - "

"Oh, Threepio, yeah, you'd better come too."

"What about me?" Chia demanded.

Luke looked at her. "Have you ever been in a firefight?"

"Well - no."

"Then stay here. I'll call you as soon as we know what's happened."

They paused only long enough for Chewie to pick up his bowcaster, and then they were gone.

* * *

Luke let Chewie drive the airspeeder they'd hurriedly, and with a little help from the Force, commandeered from the palace garage. It was easier that way, since Luke could concentrate on locating Leia.

Chewie growled something. "Master Luke, sir," Threepio began, "Chewbacca asks what has happened to Mistress Leia and Master Han. And," he added, "I would like to know also."

"Can't tell yet," Luke told them. "I know Leia feels something terrible's going to happen, but she and Han are okay at the moment. I. . . there are other people around them," he said, concentrating, "but I can't get much, other than panic."

"Oh, my," Threepio commented.

* * *

Najine stood in the centre of the clearing, surrounded by a group of badly-armed, ill-prepared women, and wished once again that she'd never found that speeder in the forest.

"Stay out of their sight," she was telling them. "We don't know how many of them there are likely to be. Most of these blasters are only partially charged, so pick your targets carefully. And stay under cover," she emphasised again. She caught Charen's eye. The other woman didn't say anything, but what she thought was plain on her face. _We're not going to get out of this alive._

Najine nodded, her expression fearful, yet resigned. The circle drew closer, into a group embrace, all of them knowing, deep down, this could be the last time they were ever together. Then they separated, to find such concealment as they could around the camp, and to wait.

Jess and Amina took shelter behind the woodpile. Amina began to check the settings on her blaster. "I never shot at anyone before," she said quietly.

"Me neither," Jess agreed, sighting down the barrel of her weapon, around the woodpile. She looked at Amina. "But I'm not going back to the city," she said, her voice determined. "Whatever happens, nothing could be worse than that." Amina nodded sombrely, knowing exactly what her friend meant.

* * *

Leia was listening at the cabin door, feeling almost frantic. "It's all gone quiet," she told Han, fighting to keep the tremble out of her voice. "They must be preparing to fight."

Han shook his head, incredulous. "They're gonna be massacred."

"We have to get out of here, Han!" Leia exclaimed, turning to face him. "I can stop this, I can take these women under the protection of the New Republic, they can't touch them then."

Han looked sceptical. "That's risky, isn't it? Baros isn't an allied world - "

"I can't stand by and see them all killed!" Leia argued. "And the constitution allows for it, in matters of desperate need, at the ambassador's discretion. I have to get out there." She looked around the room. "You didn't pick up anything else from the storeroom we could use, did you?"

Han shook his head. "Sorry. There wasn't anything, except the homer. And the door's barred on the outside, so we can't bash it down."

Leia was pacing again. "Maybe if we start banging on the door, making a lot of noise as soon as the police arrive. . .?"

Han shook his head again. "They'll just assume as hostages, we're safer in here till the fighting's over."

Leia punched a wall in frustration. "Damn it, there must be something we can do! We've gotten out of worse places than this!"

She looked around helplessly. Then suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Luke, in an Imperial cell on Mimban, using the Force to lift a food tray and cover the switch that opened the bars. . . . Sure, it hadn't been easy, even for him. But he wasn't even trained then, and he'd managed it.

She met Han's eyes. "The Force could move that bar," she told him. "I don't know if I can do it, but I'm going to find out."

Han bit his lip, watched her as she went to stand by the door, placed her hands flat on its surface, closed her eyes, took several deep breaths. It was harder to find the calm place this time, but she did. Then she imagined the bar, much like the wood under her hands, visualised its shape, felt the roughness of its grain, imagined it lifting, easily, as if it weighed no more than a feather, out of the two brackets that held it.

It moved, at least half a centimetre. Then fell back into place with a thunk. Leia wavered, almost fell. Han caught her and lowered her onto a stool. "Can't," she gasped, breathing heavily from the exertion. "It's. . . too much."

* * *

Luke felt the stirring Leia had set up in the Force, reached out to help her, but she was still too far away. _We're on our way,_ he told her, sending her as much reassurance as he could when he himself was worried for her. _Just hang on._

He felt her desperation. _Hurry, Luke, _she told him. _Please hurry._

* * *

Najine watched nervously from her hiding place behind the kitchen hut, barely daring to breathe as the first of the Baran police entered the central clearing. She was surprised Leia had kept quiet so long, she'd expected her to be yelling to be freed by now. But no, of course the Baran police would completely ignore her - they wouldn't even understand her language. They were sent here to arrest or kill whoever had kidnapped the ambassador, and that was what they would do.

She watched, waiting to see the size of the group they were going to have to take on. It was fairly small, no more than twelve, but no doubt there would be reinforcements later. They walked slowly, looking all around them, but the women were well hidden. From the corner of her eye, Najine saw Charen gesturing at her, asking if she should shoot. Najine shook her head. She wanted the men in the centre of the clearing, as far as possible from cover, before she did anything that could give away her position. But as she looked back into the clearing, she saw the men beginning to split up, spreading out to search. It was now or never. Her heart beating furiously, she signalled to Charen, and to Tania and Torril behind the next hut. Time.

She fired, and the leader fell. The other men ducked instinctively, looking around to find the source of the shot. Two more fell before they gathered their wits, and Najine felt a sudden throb of hope as the men scattered for cover. Maybe. . . just maybe. . . .

* * *

"Stang!" Leia exclaimed, hearing the first shot go off. Han merely shook his head, sat slumped on the bed, feeling helpless. She looked at him, horror in her eyes. _Damn it, Luke, where are you?_

* * *

He felt her panic, an acute stab of horror and fear. _Hold on,_ he exhorted her. _Hold on! We're almost there._

"Chewie, can't this thing go any faster?"

* * *

The battle continued to rage. The women were well hidden, but by now so were the men, and neither side had claimed any further casualties. The police second-in-command, now chief, was amazed - who would have ever thought a group of mere women could fight so well, and claim three of their number so quickly? The chatter on the comm channel revealed that the rest of the group felt the same. In fact, the shock was beginning to lead to panic, he realized. "Quiet! Everyone quiet!" he demanded. The chief was gone, and it was up to him now to keep

the men on target. "Hold your positions," he told them. "No need for us to take any chances. The chief controller will be here soon, with the reinforcements. We only have to stop them from breaking out."

Silence for a moment. Then - "But women! I don't know if I can shoot a woman!"

"These aren't women," he snapped. "They're freaks - would've been Unsuitables if they'd stayed in the city. They're insane. They've already killed three of us - we'll shoot 'em all if they show themselves."

"Chief's right," he heard, and smiled to himself. They'd make these arrests yet.

* * *

Amina's blaster was almost empty. She ducked back behind the woodpile, and a moment later Jess joined her.

"They're just trying to keep us pinned down," she said disgustedly. "There'll be more of them on the way."

Amina looked at her wide-eyed, and Jess nodded grimly. "Save it till it'll make a difference," she said, indicating the blaster. "Mine's the same. I wish - "

Engine noise cut her off, and her eyes met Amina's.

"This is it, then," Amina said softly.

"That's right," Jess agreed, and reached for her hand. "I'm not going back to the city," she said simply.

* * *

Leia sprang to her feet as she heard the engine, reached out for Luke, but it wasn't him. She recognized the sense, though, and turned to Han with a look of disgust on her face.

"Hezzel's here," she told him.

Han grimaced. "Come to gloat, no doubt. Where's Luke got to?"

She shook her head. "He's on his way. That's all I know." She reached out for her brother, felt him drawing closer, trying to send her calm, but it was no use. How could she be calm when everything was going so badly, and she was powerless to help?

As Luke's sense drew back from her, she tried to reach out to the outside, get some insight into what was happening, but wasn't skilled enough to separate the impressions: fear, anxiety, determination, anger, the slightly nauseous feeling of desperation underlying it all. And Hezzel, getting closer, furious with the whole situation.

* * *

Luke drew back from Leia. Her panic was infecting him, making it difficult to think straight. He couldn't shut her off entirely, he could never do that, but he pushed her to the back of his mind. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not if he was going to be able to help her.

He finally, to his relief, spotted the group of small buildings through the trees. Concentrating, he could find the hiding places of the women, where the police were holed up, and the reinforcements approaching with Hezzel. Leia he didn't need to search for. Her distress was as bright as a beacon on the top of the hut she was imprisoned in. "Okay, land us, Chewie. Over there," he said, indicating a place nearer than where the two Baran police transports were parked. Hopefully, they could arrive at the same time as the reinforcement group, free Leia and Han, and prevent any more deaths.

He leapt out of the speeder before Chewie had even switched off the engine, heading for the clearing at top speed.

Hezzel was already there, Luke realized as he arrived, shouting and demanding, as far as he could get the sense of it, that the women be arrested, killed, stopped by whatever means necessary. Luke glanced behind him. Threepio wasn't here yet, and he couldn't speak to the chief controller without him to translate. Still, he had to try.

"Chief Controller, wait!" he shouted, approaching him, simultaneously reaching out to free Leia. "The ambassador wants to speak to you."

Hezzel stopped short, baffled. "What are you doing here?" he demanded in Baran.

Jess saw her one chance. "Hezzel, you bastard!"

Luke whirled, his hold on the bar on Leia's door dropping as he ignited his lightsaber, blocked the shots at Hezzel.

For an instant, everyone seemed to freeze. Hezzel blinked, gazed at Luke dumbfounded. The police chief gathered himself more quickly. He saw the woman who'd shot at the chief controller looking over the woodpile, gazing open-mouthed in astonishment that her shots had been deflected. He shot her.

"No!" Luke exclaimed, but he was too far away to protect the woman. He saw her fall, heard another woman scream, felt a stab of horror and confusion from Leia, and released the bar from her door.

Almost immediately, Leia's panic diminished. Luke felt it draining away, to be replaced by her familiar strength. She took a deep breath, stepped out into the clearing.

Seeing her, Hezzel called a ceasefire, and Najine did the same. Leia took in the scene at a glance. Jess was dead, Amina weeping over her, her hands stained with the other woman's blood. Three dead police officers lay in the clearing. Hezzel stood surveying the scene, his face set angrily.

Her gaze fell on Luke, beckoning someone, and looking around she saw Threepio and Chewbacca enter the clearing. She sighed. If she'd ever been a good diplomat, she had to exercise all those skills now.

She called to Threepio. "Please tell the chief controller I hold these women responsible for nothing they've done, and don't wish them to be prosecuted for any crime. I would like to discuss - " but Hezzel cut her off. She looked at Threepio. The droid tilted his head slightly, a gesture she knew was analogous to a human frowning with thought. "The chief controller says he sees nothing that needs to be discussed. And. . . he called you 'Madam Solo', Mistress Leia. I'm really not sure what his meaning is. Perhaps I should - "

But Leia was not listening to him. "Please explain yourself, Chief Controller," she asked, and Threepio relayed her request. The reply evidently caused the protocol droid some concern, if Leia was reading his body language right. "Mistress Leia, he. . . he really is being rather rude. Perhaps I should paraphrase - "

"No, Threepio," she interrupted. "Just give me a word-for-word. I don't think it's worth trying to make it sound pretty any more."

"Very well, Mistress Leia," the droid conceded. "But I apologize in advance if anything should cause offence."

Leia smiled grimly. "I can take it, Threepio," she told him. Now she might finally see Hezzel in his true colours.

"I don't see any further purpose in negotiations with you," Threepio began. "Not now that it's clear you have lied to us from the beginning. You came here claiming not only to be an ambassador, but an unmarried woman. We accepted your presence as a woman, as a gesture of goodwill to the New Republic. But you have constantly lied to and deceived us. We thought you were here for preliminary negotiations to facilitate our entry into the New Republic, but your disruptive attitude has led me to conclude that you had no intention of recommending us for membership. Instead, you and your fellow so-called diplomats have used this visit to hunt out and harass anyone who has the remotest connection to the Empire, and worst of all, to stir up trouble among our women."

Leia's mind was racing. She knew nothing about Imperial collaborators. . . though she did have a vague memory of asking Threepio to find out if there had been any follow-up to the Imperial surveys. He must have discovered something. She reached for Luke, found he had knowledge of what had happened. Feeling her touch, he sent her a sense of reassurance, and calm. She gathered herself, knowing that if Luke had dealt with the matter, whatever he'd done had been justified. She turned to Threepio. "Translate me word-for-word,too, please, Threepio.

"Chief Controller," she began. "We are diplomats, and I am an ambassador. Yes, I lied about my marital status, but only because I knew that if you knew me to be a married woman, you would not take me seriously. We are also envoys of the New Republic, and consider it our duty to bring Imperial agents to justice, wherever we may find them. Finally, as for stirring up trouble among your women, they are not your women. They're human beings, of as much value as you are. There was trouble among them long before I came here, and how can you expect there not to be, when you refuse them any power, any say in the running of society? Look around you. You think these women live out here in the middle of nowhere because they like it? You think they tried to kidnap me for fun? They did it because they're desperate. All they want is a say in how they live their own lives. And you've reduced them to this!" She stared at him, her eyes blazing.

Hezzel stared back at her, his jaw set, his expression furious. He snapped something at her, then turned back to the police. "Mistress Leia, he's ordering them to take the women into custody!" Threepio told her.

"Stop!" she exclaimed. "You will not arrest these women. I claim asylum for them, and place them under the protection of the New Republic."

Hezzel was fuming. "He says they have committed crimes," Threepio told her, "and must pay for them under Baran law."

"Tell him they are now under the protection of the Ruling Council of the New Republic, and that supersedes all local statutes," Leia countered. "He should know that, if he really read that Constitution. Quote him the paragraph if he needs it, Threepio."

But Hezzel didn't appear to need it. He snarled something, wagging his finger at Leia, and stormed off in the direction of the transports. The police followed him.

Leia turned. "Najine?" she called. "Did you get all that?"

Najine stood up, wearing a wry expression. "Oh, I got it," she replied. "Including the bits the droid didn't translate."

Leia nodded sombrely. "Take the women to one of the transports," she told her. "Han, go with her," she added. "And take Threepio in case you run into any problems."

She turned back, to find Luke standing beside her, looking apologetic. "Oh, Luke," she sighed. "Everything went wrong."

Her brother took her in his arms. It was a long, intense embrace. Leia clung to him tightly, trembling a little from released tension. He touched her mind to comfort her, and noticed, now there were no distractions, she felt. . . different, somehow. He couldn't place how. She was stronger in the Force, that was obvious, she'd finally begun to come into her inheritance. But it wasn't just that, there was something else changed, something that wasn't in her mind. . . that even she wasn't aware of yet. Suddenly, it hit him. His sister was. . . pregnant?!

She felt his surprise, drew back slightly. "What is it, Luke?" she asked, quietly. He touched her cheek, smiled. "Nothing, Leia," he told her. "You've grown stronger in the Force, haven't you?"

"Yes," she replied, as if not sure how she felt about it yet. "But. . . it seemed like. . . I felt like the Force was telling me to wait, that things would be okay. . . and now this! Everything went wrong, Luke!"

"Things go wrong, Leia," he said gently. "You can't predict for every variable. Maybe things would have been worse if you hadn't listened to the Force. You did well today."

"But what if I'd done something sooner?" she demanded. "Jess was killed. Maybe I could have prevented that."

Luke held her close, hushed her. "Don't torture yourself," he told her. "Things are always different in hindsight. You can't change what's past."

She sighed deeply. "None of this should have happened. This planet's crazy, Luke."

He couldn't argue with that.

* * *

They travelled back to the city in the police transport with the women, since Hezzel had appropriated the airspeeder Luke had brought. It was a slow, heavy, lumbering vehicle, and kept close to the ground. Nevertheless, Leia felt she recognized the scenery. There was a mountain range they were running parallel to that seemed very familiar, and when they crossed the river, she realized why. There, right in her line of sight, was the waterfall she'd exclaimed over, that she and Han had flown past, performing joyful aerobatics. . . until their engine stalled. Suddenly, it all came rushing back - the crash, Najine, the walk through the forest, that incredible dive into Najine's mind; the camp, the women, her certainty that things would work out all right; and then watching everything fall apart before her eyes. . . .

Tears she couldn't hold back came to her eyes, ran down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying - because she'd been so utterly wrong, or because Jess had died, or because she'd lost her credibility with Hezzel, and with it, any chance of changing the Baran system. . . or simply because Baros was such an insane world that it drove women like Jess and Najine to insane acts.

A hand closed over hers, a huge, hairy hand: Chewbacca's. Turning, she buried her face in the Wookiee's warm fur, welcoming the opportunity to hide for a while. Chewbacca stroked her hair and keened softly to her, and eventually her tears dried.

She smiled, albeit weakly. "Everyone should have a Wookiee to hug when they're feeling down," she murmured. Chewie whuffed with amusement.

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Najine," Leia greeted the other woman. She wasn't smiling. "I'm sorry."

Najine looked puzzled. "You're sorry?" she exclaimed. "What are you sorry for?"

Leia gestured helplessly. "Everything went wrong," she said. "Nothing was how I'd expected it to be. And I felt so sure. . ."

"Hey, wait a minute," Najine cut in. "I'm the one should be apologizing. I seem to remember you trying to tell me I should let you go so you could talk to Hezzel, and me insisting we go with that crazy ransom idea. I don't know." She shook her head, sighed, turned away. "I guess I've been stuck on this planet too long. I didn't even consider whether your way could work." She turned back, met Leia's eyes. "I'm the one made it all go wrong."

"I went along with you," Leia said quietly. "I knew your group had no chance of succeeding. . . I tried to stall you. I should have done more."

"Leia." Najine crossed the room, took Leia's hands. "I should have listened to you."

The two women looked at each other. There was pain on both their faces as they realized that neither of them was responsible for what had happened, neither of them ultimately had any control over what had happened - they were women, on Baros. "You saved us, Leia," Najine told her softly. "We'd have all been killed out there if it hadn't been for you. We couldn't blame you for anything now."

Leia sighed, moved away. "There are still so many others," she said quietly.

The door buzzed. Leia opened it, to reveal Rie, with the requisite food trolley. "I'm so glad you're safe!" the girl exclaimed. "There were so many rumours. I was really worried!"

"Come in, Rie," Leia smiled. "Let me help you with the trolley. Meet Najine."

Rie stared dumbfounded at the older woman. "Najine!" she exclaimed. "I heard about you from a woman at the hostel. You really ran away from the city!"

"And survived," Najine replied wryly.

"We couldn't believe it," Rie was saying, barely stopping for breath. "Some people said it was impossible to live out there, but I always believed in you!"

Najine broke into a rare laugh. "You make me sound like a fairy tale."

Leia, unloading the food trolley, smiled in amusement at Rie's hero-worship. Glancing at Najine, she was also glad to see the girl's enthusiasm cracking her hard facade. As it also seemed to have broken through Rie's bitterness, she reflected, which could be no bad thing either.

The door buzzed again, this time announcing Tyra. Leia introduced her to the other women, noticing that Rie greeted her with slight hostility, Najine with guarded indifference. She handed each of them a drink, took one herself, then settled into a chair. All three women regarded her with curiosity.

"Well," she smiled. "I expect you're wondering what this is all about. Basically, I need your input. You're probably aware that my talks with the chief controller have broken down. Hezzel is definitely not happy with me, and it's beginning to look like he's going to dismiss the New Republic out of hand. Have you heard anything about that, Tyra?"

Tyra nodded. "A friend of mine works in Hezzel's office. He's going to call a meeting with your entire delegation tomorrow, and she thinks he's angry enough with you all to just kick you off the planet there and then."

Leia smiled wryly. "I can't say I'm surprised at that," she commented. "However, we know that the impetus behind this whole thing was an expansion of Baros' trade arrangements, and knowing Hezzel, I don't think he's quite ready to write that off just yet. Though I do know I've lost any chance I ever had of achieving the kind of widespread social change I hoped for when I first came here.

"That said, I have come up with an idea. It's a last-ditch, desperate measure, and certainly not the kind of solution I'd hoped for." She looked at Najine. "I mentioned it back at camp, when I was trying to persuade you to let Han and me go. But I still think it might work." She looked at Tyra and Rie, thinking of the different perspectives they, and Najine, had on the Baran system, hoping her idea might prove acceptable to all of them. She took a deep breath. "I'm going to put it to Hezzel that the New Republic will help promote Baran trade, if he allows anyone who doesn't want to live by the Baran system to leave the planet."

"Can you do that?" Rie asked breathlessly.

"Technically, no," Leia replied, and saw Rie's face drop. "I've already pushed my luck by claiming immunity for Najine and her friends, and if Hezzel and the controllers decide to refuse, then there's nothing I can do. But that's just the worst-case scenario. We know Hezzel wants trade, and I'll make it quite clear that these are the only terms he's going to get it under. But all that's just haggling. What I need right now is your opinions on the idea."

"It means no change on Baros at all," Tyra grumbled. "It means propping up the regime, not challenging it."

"No," Najine disagreed. "It's a way out. It's a chance none of you have now."

"I'd take it as soon as I could!" Rie exclaimed. "There's nothing for me here. I'd love the chance to start somewhere new. Somewhere I wouldn't always be worrying about being forced into marriage. And where serving food or running a computer weren't the only jobs open to me."

"Where would we go?" Tyra asked pensively. "Getting off Baros is all very well, but how would we live?"

"The New Republic has a refugee support service," Leia told her. "They'd handle your reorientation, teach people Basic who need it, help you find jobs and places to live. We wouldn't just dump you at the nearest spaceport and leave you to fend for yourselves," she added with a smile.

"It sounds wonderful," Rie said quietly. "What I've always dreamed of."

"I'd rather see some change on Baros," Tyra said.

Rie suddenly rounded on the older woman. "You don't need it!" she exclaimed. "You're already Unsuitable, you've got your job, your apartment, your money. So you have to wear a wig and dress up for work. Big deal! You've never had to face being forced into a marriage you don't want. You've never found your friend dead because it was her only way out!" She broke down, covered her face with her hands. Najine put her arm around the girl's shoulders, and Rie leaned into her.

"I agree with the kid," Najine said. "Leia's done all she can. She tried to get the kind of change you want. Okay, so I'm part of the reason that all went nova, and you can take that out on me if you want. But you're still not going to get any laws changed on Baros at the moment. This way out is all you're gonna get." She looked at Leia, then back at Tyra. "Who knows, if the controllers see huge numbers of people bailing out rather than live under their system, maybe they'll rethink what they're doing."

Rie's face emerged from her hands, tearstained, to look up at Najine, more hope shining in her eyes than Leia had yet seen. "You really think so?" she asked.

Najine shrugged, smiled slightly. "You never know," she told her.

Leia looked at Tyra. "What do you think?" she asked. "Is it worth me putting the idea to Hezzel?"

Tyra shrugged. "I guess it's better than nothing."

* * *

Leia stepped forward at the World Control Building's security station. "The New Republic delegation to meet with the chief controller," she said. The security officer looked past her at Threepio as he translated, then looked over the whole group before turning to his computer screen.

Leia smiled to herself. They were a pretty odd-looking bunch, she supposed, what with herself and Chia, Luke and Han, and of course Chewie. But backed by that group, she felt better than she'd felt before any meeting she'd been to this trip. The gloves were off now, Threepio would be translating word-for-word for all of them, there would be no more careful politicking, no more saving Hezzel's feelings; and even though that meant Hezzel wouldn't be saving their feelings either, she was glad of it.

The security officer cleared them, and they moved to the elevator. As it arrived and they entered, she realized Han and Luke were unconsciously flanking her, like bodyguards. She reached out, took each of their hands, and when they looked at her, smiled.

"Relax, boys, okay?" she told them. "I have a good feeling about this meeting. We're going to win this."

Han's eyes met Luke's over her head. They both looked distinctly dubious, and Leia suddenly found herself giggling. She wanted to hug them both. With this group behind her, she felt she could do anything.

She actually left the elevator and walked to the conference room hand-in-hand with her husband and her brother, and while part of her was incredulous at her own behaviour, the rest of her took strength from it, and wished Hezzel could see it, to see what life could be like for people who weren't straitjacketed by their society.

Before Hezzel arrived, she seated Han and Luke on either side of her, with Chia on Luke's side, and Chewie on Han's, beside Threepio. Chia was here only to observe, as was Chewie, though he also served another, incidental, purpose. A Wookiee on a world such as this one was of course a rare, if not unknown sight. She'd heard how Hezzel had been unnerved by him at their other meetings, and if keeping him in Hezzel's line of vision today disturbed the chief controller, well, so much the better.

She rose to greet Hezzel as he entered the room, but he waved her back to her seat.

"Ambassadors," he began, taking in mainly Luke and Han with his glance, "I regret, though I doubt you do, the current state of our negotiations. Indeed, I wonder whether any purpose can be served by your continued presence here. Perhaps I was foolish to believe Baros could become a part of a wider galaxy. Perhaps our standards are just too high for the rest of the galaxy."

"Oh, I think you're wrong, Chief Controller," Leia told him, ignoring Chewie's disdainful snort. "Our negotiations may have broken down, but they are far from over. You've said yourself, the benefits to Baros of a trade agreement with the New Republic would be considerable. I see no barriers to such an agreement being reached."

"Madam Solo, I am amazed. Are you saying the New Republic would be willing to admit Baros as an allied world?"

Leia sighed. "If you wish to address me by my name, it is actually Organa Solo, as is my husband's. But Ambassador would be acceptable. Chief Controller, under present circumstances, I see no possibility of Baros becoming a member of the New Republic. To remain a closed world, and yet trade with the outside galaxy, is hypocrisy. And impermissible."

"I see." Hezzel glared at her, as if he knew exactly what she wanted, and would cut off his hand rather than give it to her. "Baros will not change its laws on the demands of an outside power, however lucrative the rewards."

"No-one's asking you to change your laws," Luke interjected, right on cue.

Hezzel stared at him. "Then what do you suggest, Ambassador?" Leia felt Han tense at the implied slight. Hezzel would not call Leia by her title, but he would use it to Luke. She reached surreptitiously for his hand under the table. It didn't matter. If Hezzel was to instinctively react against anything she was to propose, but prove more amenable to a suggestion from a man, it was all to the good.

"It's quite simple," Luke began, sounding at his most persuasive. "A closed world is one that allows neither immigration nor emigration, right? So all you have to do is allow people in. . . and out."

Hezzel looked thoughtful. "Allow people in?" That appealed to his sense of self-importance, Leia saw. "Yes. . . I'm sure there are many people in the galaxy who would find our way of life attractive. . . . We can choose who we allow to stay, of course?"

"Oh, yes," Luke agreed. "You would have the same rights as any other world, in the same circumstances. And the question of letting people leave. . .?"The chief controller looked less comfortable with that one. "Men and Unsuitables, yes," he agreed finally.

Luke shook his head, looking genuinely regretful. "I'm sorry, Chief Controller, but the right to leave must be extended to every person equally. The Constitution of the New Republic is quite clear on that point."

"I see." Hezzel sat back in his seat, folded his arms, looked completely intractable. "There's no question of us allowing just anyone to leave. Where would they go? How would they live? Surely these things must be considered."

"The New Republic has a resettlement service to help people who need it," Leia told him, though he completely ignored her.

"I care for my people, my world," Hezzel said. "That is my responsibility as chief controller. If I were to approve something which turned out to be bad for my people, they would never trust me again."

"So how would this be bad?" Han asked. Hezzel looked at him as if he were a small rodent that had suddenly decided to hand out political advice. In some ways, he objected to Han more than he did Leia, as a man who'd deliberately placed himself second to a woman.

"Think of what you're turning down here," Han continued. "Not only a trade agreement, which could bring a lot of money into Baros, but the chance to invite people here, people who themselves could bring a lot of money with them, give your economy a pretty good boost. These are exactly the kind of people you'd benefit from having on Baros. And all in return for losing a few citizens - most likely people who don't want to be here anyway. Surely it's in your interest to have a population that actually wants to be here, that agrees with the way Baros runs things?"

Hezzel looked thoughtful at that. That Solo man - maybe he'd had him wrong from the beginning. Maybe having seen life on Baros, he'd realized he didn't need to pretend to be inferior to a woman. His point was certainly sensible. . . and persuasive.

"You realize I am unable to make a unilateral decision on such matters," he told Han. "I will need to discuss it with my cabinet - no doubt at length. Perhaps you should all return to your accommodations, and I will reconvene this meeting when I have a decision for you."

Leia rose. "Certainly, Chief Controller. Thanks for your time."

* * *

Chia managed to restrain herself until they were back at the apartment and sure of not being overheard. Once there, though, she exploded.

"You guys were amazing!" she exclaimed. "You played him like a Sabacc hand!"

Leia smiled, looking at Han and Luke. "I'm pretty impressed myself," she said. "Whoever said you two weren't diplomats?"

Luke raised his eyebrows. "I think we did," he said, but Han grinned. "You don't get very far in the smuggling business without knowing how to negotiate round to what you want," he told her, and Chewie seconded him with a growl.

"Even so," Leia said, moving to hug Han, "your timing was perfect. Yours too, Luke. It looks like we might finally get at least some of what we came here for."

"You think he'll agree to the proposal?" Chia asked.

Leia looked round at Luke. "What do you think? It felt pretty hopeful to me."

He nodded. "I think we managed to plant some pretty persuasive suggestions. We should have a good chance. All we have to do now is wait."

* * *

Late that evening, Han and Luke found themselves alone in the living room. Something was bothering Han, Luke knew, though he hid it so well nobody else, even including Leia, was likely to have picked up on it. Han was apparently watching a news programme on the holovid, but his attention wasn't on it. Similarly, Luke appeared to be reading an abstract of Artoo's research on the Chu'unthor records, but he was actually waiting for Han to speak.

When Han switched off the holovid with a sigh, he looked up. Han smiled wryly. "You know what's coming, don't you, kid?"

Luke smiled back. "Not exactly, but I know something's up. What is it?"

Han shrugged. "It's Leia," he admitted. "I don't know, she's just been. . . kinda weird lately. I just thought, you being her brother and all, and both of you having the Force, you might have an idea what's going on with her."

"Well, maybe I have some insight," Luke said. "Something in particular that's worrying you?"

"I can't exactly pinpoint anything," Han told him. "It's just a lot of little things. . . like how determined she was to come here. And then how she seemed to take it all so personally. And then when we were kidnapped, she just didn't seem at all worried. . . and she started using the Force, like, all of a sudden. And then she went from being totally calm to totally frantic. And then you saw her today - when we went into that meeting she was so confident, but last night she wasn't at all. It's like I don't know what's going on with her, and it's. . . well, weird."

Luke nodded, thoughtfully. There was at least one thing that sprang immediately to mind, that could go some way toward explaining Leia's behaviour, but he didn't feel able to discuss it. Leia didn't even know herself yet, and he wasn't a hundred percent sure.

"Leia's been going through a lot of changes lately, Han," he said carefully. "Like you said, she's just beginning to understand the Force, to feel it without having to search for it. It's. . . not an easy thing to come to terms with, especially with our heritage. You know how ambivalent she's felt about the Force till now."

"Yeah," Han agreed. "If Vader was my father, I don't think I'd be too sure about using the Force either."

Luke nodded. "We've talked about that many times. Our father had great power. . . and we've inherited it. We have to be careful how we use it. Leia's tried to deny her power, but I knew she wouldn't be able to do that forever."

Han frowned slightly. "Why now, though? What's changed so that would happen?"

Luke smiled. "A lot's changed, hasn't it, Han?" he asked. "You've gotten married, for one thing. Leia's made some big decisions about where her life's going, we both know she's going to keep moving up within the government. . . . All sorts of things could have affected her, and. . . I guess she's still adjusting."

"So. . . you reckon she'll settle down in time?"

Luke smiled again. "Was she ever settled?" and Han grinned back.

"Point. I mean, will she be a bit more predictable, less. . . distracted?"

"I'm sure she will," Luke told him. "She probably just needs time, and support, and I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

"Right. Okay. So. . . I guess we just wait and see, right?"

Luke grinned. "Right."

* * *

"You know Refugee Services is really going to kick off about this," Han told Leia. They were in the VIP lounge of Baros' tiny spaceport, watching through the window the scenes on the landing pad below, as the Baran emigres queued for the shuttles that would take them up to the New Republic troop transport waiting in orbit. Demand for the emigration programme had been such that the old transport, one of those the Alliance had used during the war, had been the only available ship to carry them all. The spaceport's landing pad was too small to fit it, and rather than land it somewhere away from the city and transport people out to it, it had been decided to keep the transport in a synchronous orbit and ferry the passengers up to it. Leia had been shocked when the figures had come in from the application programme, and for a moment had almost felt guilty at the extent of what she'd started. Even now, looking at the number of people, mostly but by no means all women, on the landing pad,she shook her head in disbelief. In reply to Han's comment, though, she just smiled.

"Let them," she said. "They can cope. They're set up for it. Oh, I know I'm going to have to answer for this to Refugee Services, and New Applications, and probably the Ruling Council too. But I can't help thinking it's worth it."

She left the window, wandered over to where Luke was watching the comm screen as Artoo pulled up the data from the spaceport computer and the transport. "How much longer?" she asked. Luke shrugged. "They're projecting about three or four hours - Standard - at the moment. It's a lot of people to organize."

Leia sighed. "I just wish they could move a little faster. I want to get home."

Luke looked at her sharply. "Are you okay?"

She looked surprised. "I'm fine. I've just had enough of Baros."

Luke smiled back at her. "I think we all have now."

Leia went to sit down, joined Chia on the couch. "Don't take this as an example of how to run an ambassadorial mission," she told the younger woman. "If I get away without an official reprimand, I'll be very lucky."

Chia frowned. "I don't see how they can reprimand you," she said. "You've got Baros to trade with the New Republic, which was what they wanted. Plus you kept true to the Republic's ideals."

Leia smiled wryly. "Yeah, but I didn't exactly do it conventionally, did I? It's not quite how the New Republic wants to be seen, as an organization that will walk in and just. . . take people off the planet."

"It's not like you didn't try every other option," Chia remonstrated.

"But how did we get it done, in the end?" Leia asked, with a grimace. "Not by being confrontational, or by getting Hezzel to see sense. By getting the men to flatter him, show him how he could keep his world just as it is."

Chia shook her head. "You can't say your way of doing it was wrong in the beginning. There wasn't exactly a lot of information available, was there?"

Leia smiled. "Good point. I'll remember that for debriefing. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we got this much. I just wish it could have gone a bit more easily."

Han sat down beside her. "This is Baros," he reminded her. "You're lucky it went at all, in my opinion."

The door buzzed, and Threepio opened it, to Najine. "I just came to say goodbye," she said. "And thanks." - "See?" Han commented quietly, and was glad to see Leia smile.

"Is your ship okay?" he asked Najine, and she nodded. "Looks great. Thanks for getting it fixed for me. I know I could have left on the transport, but it's nice to be able to get out under my own steam, finally."

"Yeah," Han agreed with a smile. He'd felt the same when he'd managed to talk Leia into returning on the Falcon. The ambassadorial shuttle was already docked on the troop transport, and though they'd be crowded on his ship, he knew Leia was pleased they'd all be able to travel back to Coruscant together. Plus, they'd get there quicker.

"I've picked up a new partner, by the way," Najine told them. "Tania's decided to come with me. I'm not sure how long she'll last as a smuggler, she's a bit too honourable, but it'll be fun not to be working alone for a while. She'd like to say goodbye, actually - so would all the others, but the guards wouldn't let them come up here. Do you think you could come down, see them. . .?"

"Of course," Leia smiled. "And if you and Tania ever get tired of smuggling, or find yourselves short of a job, the New Republic's always looking for good pilots."

Najine grinned. "I'll bear that in mind."

The crowding was even worse on the landing pad than it had looked from the lounge. And when they saw the ambassador everyone seemed to want to speak to her. The Baran police rushed forward to stop the people getting near to her, but Leia ordered them to stay back. Najine and Han ensured no-one got too close, and Threepio managed to get between Leia and whoever was speaking to her. Amina came up first, and though Leia felt a little apprehensive at talking to her after what had happened to Jess, she didn't seem to blame Leia for anything. "Jess should have waited, but seeing Hezzel was just too much for her," she said. "And the thought of going back to the city terrified her. We're so grateful for what you've done."

"Thank you," Leia replied. "I wish I could have done more, but. . . "

Amina shook her head. "You've already done more for us than we deserve. After the way we treated you. . . . "

"I don't blame any of you for that," Leia told her. "I wish I could have convinced you to let me go, but I wasn't really surprised I couldn't."

"I wish we'd listened to you," Amina said, and she heard the same story over and over from others. From women she'd never met before, there were thanks and congratulations, until even she herself began to feel that she'd achieved something valuable here, not just second-best, as she'd been feeling.

Even Tyra, who'd decided to stay, told her it had turned out better than she'd expected. "With this number of people leaving, Hezzel's got to take notice. The Baran Movement to Free Women is going to start campaigning, try and get those changes we want here. We should have a chance now."

They had said all their goodbyes and were returning to the lounge, when a man approached them. "Ambassador, I'm Bren Tobin," he introduced himself. "You don't know me, but you met my mother, Braska, earlier in your visit. I just wanted to let you know that it's not only women who object to the Baran system. You may know I refused marriage, and for a man, that's almost equivalent to applying for Unsuitability for a woman here. If I was stronger, I would stay here and campaign to change things, but I'm not. Maybe by going away, I can grow stronger, and one day come back. But the chance to get away is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I can't thank you enough. I mean that."

Leia didn't quite know what to say. "I. . . never thought of that," she began. "It was so obvious how the system affects women, it never occurred to me to question what it does to men. Thank you."

Bren clasped her hand. "No. Thank you." he said.

* * *

**Epilogue**

"So you didn't tell them the mission was a total disaster, then?" Han grinned, and Leia scowled at him, her expression dissolving into a smile only a second later.

"Even if it had been, I wouldn't have said that," she told him. "I wouldn't even have said the mission failed. It's not diplomatic language, after all. I said our success was extremely limited, due to factors beyond our control, but if I'd said I failed outright, I'd probably have killed my diplomatic career stone dead on the spot."

"They didn't fire you, then?" Luke asked her. She'd been so pessimistic going into the debriefing, and come out of it so well, he felt a little teasing was acceptable, if not essential. She scowled at him too.

"Enough of the post mortem. This is supposed to be a party." She looked around the room, at her family and friends. "And there was one thing achieved on Baros which I consider an unmitigated success." She glanced at Han, took a deep breath but couldn't help smiling. "I managed to get pregnant," she said simply.

Han's jaw dropped. He was, for once, speechless. Threepio, never one to be lost for words, exclaimed, "Oh, congratulations, Mistress Leia!" while Artoo whistled and chirped his own applause, and Chewbacca roared his, banging on the table with one huge fist. Luke caught Leia's eye, and his feelings were plain in his smile.

Leia turned back to her husband, who was now opening and closing his mouth soundlessly in a fair imitation of a fish out of water. "A. . . a baby?" he finally managed to gasp.

Leia giggled at his amazement. "Well, according to the first tests," she told him, "apparently, there's two."

"Twins?!" Han exclaimed. "I thought that always skipped a generation!"

Leia laughed again, took his hand. "Evidently not this time," she said dryly.

Han looked like the news was finally sinking in. He clasped Leia's hand tightly, awash in emotions too strong to voice. "I. . . " he stammered. "I. . . . "

Leia took his face in her hands, looked deep into his eyes. "I know," she whispered. "I know."

* * *


End file.
